Tamikrest - Adagh

"A winning debut whose surety and innovations promise a great future" **** UNCUT
"Adagh is the sound of a second generation of Tuareg musicians preparing to go global" **** MOJO
"Impressive young contenders." **** GUARDIAN

“They’re definitely the future of Tamasheq music!” This is what Andy Morgan, for many years Tinariwen’s manager, says about desert blues/ rock band Tamikrest (see Tamikrest’s full biography, written by Andy Morgan, overleaf). Formed in 2006, Tamikrest are the “spiritual sons” of Tinariwen. Their hypnotic and intense tunes take the tradition of both Tamasheq blues and rock music to the next level - as can be experienced on their debut album ‘Adagh’, to be released by Glitterhouse Records, a German independent label, so far better know for Americana releases.

Tamasheq is the language of the Tuareg, nomadic people inhabiting the Saharan desert across various countries, including Niger, Algeria, Libya and Mali. The name Tamikrest is Tamasheq for junction/ connection/ knot/ coalition. The seven members of Tamikrest, who originate from Mali, Niger and Algeria, came together to express their Tuareg identity through Ishumar rock, the Tuareg rebel music. About their backgrounds they say: “A desert hosts us, a language unites us, a culture binds us”.

The band’s leader and songwriter, 27-year-old singer/guitarist Ousmane Ag Mossa was five when he first heard a Tinariwen song; it immediately struck a chord with him. Ousmane explains: “When Tuareg children arrive in the public Malian schools, they are soon confronted with an administration that refuses to see the realities our people suffer. The youngsters are subject to racism and marginalisation every day at school. Our hope is to have the world listen to our revolutionary songs, which reflect the harsh life conditions that our people endure.”

Tamikrest’s songs also praise the desert, a place that is fundamental for the Tuareg. And it was in the silky dunes of Essakane at the 2008 Festival of the Desert where they met Dirtmusic, a group of rock’n’roll veterans from the USA and Australia: Chris Eckman (leader of acclaimed US band The Walkabouts, also collaborated with Willard Grant Conspiracy and many others), Hugo Race (leader of True Spirit, also collaborated with The Bad Seeds) and Chris Brokaw (collaborated with Evan Dando, The Willard Grant Conspiracy and Sonic Youth). With their tents side by side not only did they share Tuareg tea, but they also found themselves jamming together and discovered that their ideas and music fit perfectly.

The two bands stayed in touch, and Dirtmusic later returned to Mali to record their own album “BKO” which features Tamikrest, Fadimata from Tartit as well as Lobi Traoré (to be released in the spring of 2010). Soon after, Dirtmusic’s Chris Eckman returned to Mali to produce Tamikrest’s debut album at the famous studio Bogolan in Bamako.