Description
Tamikrest are a band in exile. For most of the last ten years, they have been unable to live in their Kidal, Mali homes because of regional conflicts. The word tamotaït means hope for positive change, and there is much that needs changing.
Founded by Ag Mossa and Cheick Ag Tiglia during the riots of 2006, initially, they played traditional music along with the songs of the Tuareg band, Tinariwen. Situations change, and as a result, so does the music. Any band that has been forced from their homeland must be political, yet they are also aware of beauty. Moroccan singer Hindi Zahra had improvised with the band at concerts, and when it came time to record Tamotaït, she seemed like an obvious choice.
As Ag Mossa recounts, “She has a remarkable voice and she’s a very good improviser. It seemed natural to us for her to sing on the album. We recorded without any rehearsal, and the first take was the right one.” The track in question, Timtarin, aches with a gentle beauty. While this is a band that can play with gentleness and restraint, they can also play with unbridled abandon.
