With the new album by nomadic Tuareg band Tinariwen (from Mali) released soon, this album by fellow Tuareg guitarist and songwriter Bombino (from Niger) is an ideal companion piece for fans of trancey and eerie African desert blues.
Although not quite as swinging and funky as his Malian counterparts, Bombino still conjures up music that is more like a spell than simply just a tune, and songs like Tar Hani and nine-minute desert trance anthem Iyat Idounia Ayasahen bristle with mantra-like blues riffs and a raw, yet beautiful, resoluteness.
Stars: 4/5
- TimeOut
