Zarko

An increase in work hours and an increase in annoyingly hot weather (I was expecting 40 degree weather in February, not November) has sort of killed the thread. Either way, no time like the present to get it going again.


Terakaft was founded by two members of Tinariwen a few years back, carrying over the world-desert blues style that was present through Tinariwen’s near 30 year career. The bands basis is one of rebellion and politics, which has gained them a following through West Africa. The album cover does a fairly good job of expressing this; I doubt it was only me who saw the typical ‘desert rebel’, substituting a guitar for a gun. Terakaft consists of four members, Kedou ag Ossad, Liya Ag Ablil, Sanou Ag Ahmed all contributing on guitar and vocals, and Rhissa Ag Ogham on bass.

So what exactly is desert blues? Well, if we are looking at it from a Terakaft foundation, it pretty much sounds like standard blues; however the band often adds a psychedelic tinge. The minimalist aspect of the music is where the ‘desert’ description comes into play. Sparse and empty land is reflected in the often solo guitar moments (Often reverberating into nothingness), with subtle percussion occasionally. The vocals are in the West African Tamashek language, so there is a fair chance you have no idea what they are singing about, but it adds a distinct variation to a general blues band, and they aren’t too bad overall. The songs are covered in a shroud of respect, not harsh or aggressive, though this doesn’t prevent them from being explorative.


How does the album work altogether? Considering it is the first Terakaft/Tinariwen album I have listened to, it is surprisingly accessible. It flows well, and some of the guitars are a treat against what becomes a harsh background of emptiness. It’s interesting that a ‘clean’ and minimal background can often have differing effects on the music at hand. Here, the guitar sound is affected adversely to what would be expected, becoming almost dirty at times.

As I mentioned, there is often a psychedelic element that enters the songs at times. There aren’t too many guitar effects, only the occasional wah-wah. There is a minimal amount of percussion, but when it’s used, it is normally to good stead. During Intidgagen, a fuzz-rattle presents itself occasionally, and the deep far off drumming in Soubhanallah is great, a rolling thunder through a quiet desert if you will.


The album also adopts quite a variety of styles, whilst the groundwork doesn’t change (Being desert blues); it occasionally espouses a more American blues take, or even an Irish ballad. All the while, the band never loses their hypnotic approach. Even during some of the louder songs, the welcoming and warm feeling extended by the songs can lull the listener into a lazy haze. Though, that could just be the incredibly hot weather round these ways.

The description of the bands music was enough to suck me into their world, but when I stumbled into it, I had no idea what I was getting into. What I found was songs that exuded passion and warmth, and tracks that weren’t weighed down by any overly political basis or anger. The instrumental performances match up to the musician’s ardour, which always helps make a good album. Most importantly though, is that when you expect to hear something similar later in the album, the performers come up with something new to excite an astute listener. The guitar work never becomes predictable and the group is willing to try out different styles to see what works best.


I wasn’t expecting too much when I downloaded this album. However, it is fair to say that I was blown away by how entertaining I found it. Sometimes you just want an entertaining and simple album to listen to. Other times, something more experimental will only quench your thirst. With Akh Issudar, both facets are present in a great final product.