Sahel

The world is much changed since Omara ‘Bombino’ Moctar’s last album, 2018’s Grammy-nominated Deran. We’ve had pandemics, war, fire, flood and famine and political regimes have come and gone like so much flotsam and jetsam. Although lockdown delayed the recording of this album, one suspects these global upheavals have impacted on Touareg life less than most as they pursue their own fight to preserve their timeless, nomadic heritage – when Bombino shouts ‘Let’s defend our people!’ in Tamasheq, you can bet he’s talking about a greater existential threat than July’s coup d’état in his homeland of Niger. Recorded in Casablanca with Welsh producer David Wrench, Sahel finds him addressing the plight of his people in fierce songs drenched in urgent, bluesy guitar pyrotechnics and howling ululations. If one has come to expect nothing less, there are surprises, too. ‘Ayes Sachen’ is a new hybrid that can only be described as Touareg reggae, the hushed ‘Mes Amis’ and the chiming ‘Alwane’ are acoustic gems and ‘Nik Sant Awanha’ (My Brothers, I Know Our Situation) juxtaposes a profound lyric about the marginalisation of Touareg culture with a thrilling guitar workout and a spiralling pop melodicism. On Sahel, Bombino gives his proud people a voice for the whole world to hear.