Mdou Moctar – Ilana (CD)

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Recorded in Detroit with producer Chris Koltay, Ilana arrived as Moctar was quietly building one of the most ferocious live reputations in contemporary music, drawing comparisons t o Hendrix not as hyperbole but as genuine critical shorthand for his command of the electric guitar. The Tuareg tradition of assouf, music rooted in exile and longing, runs through every fretboard pyrotechnic here, grounding the intensity in something ancient and communal. Blistering and hypnotic, 'Ilana (The Creator)' (2019) marked the beginning of a new chapter for Mdou Moctar. It is the Nigerien guitar hero's first album recorded with a live rock band and perfectly captures the heavy, psychedelic sound - part Tuareg desert blues, part ZZ Top - that the quartet had honed through endless touring and which would come to explosive fruition on 'Afrique Victime' (2021) and 'Funeral For Justice' (2024). 'Ilana' was the first step and it's songs remain setlist standbys for the quartet's soaring performances. Tracklist 1. Kamane Tarhanin 2. Asshet Akal 3. Inizgam 4. Anna 5. Takamba 6. Tarhatazed 7. Wiwasharnine 8. Ilana 9. Tumastin UPC: 191401204323Label: Matador RecordsRelease Date: 3.13.26Format: CD Show more