Kidal, ML · Tuareg rock

Tamikrest

1 upcoming festival

Saharan desert-blues caravan — Tamasheq anthems of exile and pride, hypnotic guitar circles under open sky.

Tamikrest formed in Kidal, in northern Mali, and grew out of the Tuareg guitar tradition that Tinariwen brought to international audiences. Led by singer and guitarist Ousmane Ag Mossa, the group sings in Tamasheq, addressing displacement, cultural survival and life in the Sahara.

Musically they combine circling, modal guitar lines and hand-percussion-driven rhythms with elements borrowed from rock and blues, building long, hypnotic pieces that shift gradually rather than following verse-chorus structures. Their touring and recording have largely taken place outside Mali, a consequence of the conflict in the country's north.

Tuareg rock