CD Review: Imarhan Timbuktu's 'Akal Warled'

Imarhan Timbuktu
Akal Warled
Clermont Music

Formed in 1993, Imarhan Timbuktu is a Tuareg guitar group from Mali and spearheaded by Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar El Ansari. The album contains eight songs about the plight of Tuareg refugees in the camps of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Algeria, and Niger. Mohamed is a guitarist and vocalist on the album. Mohamed is joined by his brother, Ousmane Ag Oumar El Ansari and backup vocalists, Fadimata Walet Oumar and Zeina Walet. There is also a lively percussion section that fills in the vocals and guitars with a nomadic presence. The music is soul-stirring and in the vein of other North African guitarists, such as Tinariwen, Toumast, and Tartit. The music saunters along with majestic cadences, back-up vocal trills, and lilting guitars performing memorable riffs, licks, and chords. One of the highlights, "Tarha Tazar," possesses a great rhythm and melody. Fans of North African guitar music will love it. Discover your inner nomad today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Yat-Kha's Tuvan Rock on 'The Ways of Nomad'

Yat-Kha

The Ways of Nomad: The Best Of

Sketis Music

The Tuvan rock and throat-singing of Russia's Yat-Kha has been an iconic presence in the world of Tuvan music for the past two decades. Led by vocalist and guitarist Albert Kuvezin, Yat-Kha takes the world by storm with traditional instrumentation and electro-ethnic elements that are darkly inviting. The name of the group is coined after a Central Asian instrument. The vocal style of Kuvezin has been noted as kargyraa, which is basically a deeper, more growling version of the traditional form of Tuvan throat-singing. Importantly, not all of the songs center on throat-singing. The Ways of Nomad features hits from 1995-2003. Anyone with an interest in Tuvan folk, throat-singing, Mongolian, Central Asian, or Russian folk and rock music should own everything by Yat-Kha. Liner notes in English, Russian, and Tuvan. ~ Matthew Forss