Some people have commented that Tinariwen have always been a country band, albeit a North African take on that most North American of genres. That idea is magnified on new album Amatssou, which finds the Tuareg band’s trademark snaking guitar lines and hypnotic rhythms blending seamlessly with pedal steel, piano and strings from guest musicians including Daniel Lanois, the embellished arrangements lending the songs an epic, universal application. Full of poetic allegory, the lyrics call for unity and freedom. There are songs of struggle and resistance with oblique references to the recent desperate political upheavals in Mali and the increasing power of the Salafists. “Dear brothers all rest, all leisure will always be far from reach unless your homeland is liberated and all the elders can live there in dignity,” Ibrahim Ag Alhabib sings on ‘Arajghiyine.’ The album’s title Amatssou is Tamashek for ‘Beyond The Fear’ and it fits - Tinariwen have always been characterised by their fearlessness - and as Bob Dylan once said, the power of rock’n’roll is that it makes us “oblivious to the fear” as the music gives us the strength and resilience to confront adversity. In the two decades since Tinariwen emerged from their base in the African desert to tour the globe, they have got to know many renowned country, folk, and rock musicians from the USA including Kurt Vile, Stephen O'Malley, Jack White, and Wilco. Tuareg nomads and cowboy drifters. Camel trains and mustang horses. The timeless horizon of the endless Sahara and the wild frontier of the Old West - several thousand miles of ocean may divide the desert blues of Tinariwen and the authentic country music of rural America but the links are as palpable as they are romantic.
Release date:
May 19, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Pro-Ject Phono Box DC Pre-Amp
Compact, high-performance phono preamplifier for both MM and MC cartridges, delivering a clean, detailed signal with minimal noise.
-
Nobsound Little Bear T7 Tube Preamp
Delivers rich, warm audio through its high-quality vacuum tubes, featuring multiple inputs and adjustable gain
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
Denon DP-400
Featuring a high-precision, belt-driven mechanism and an adjustable tonearm that ensures optimal tracking and minimal resonance
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Marc Amacher Load
Hoboville Records
July 4, 2025 -
Marianne Faithfull Cast Your Fate To The Wind: The Complete UK Decca Recordings [2xLP]
Proper Records UK
June 27, 2025 -
Face Yourself Martyr EP (Multicolor Splatter)
Sumerian Records
June 6, 2025 -
Ted Olsen Violette
Shifting Paradigm
June 20, 2025 -
Bioscope GENTŌ [2xLP]
Earmusic
August 22, 2025 -
Swell Season Forward
Masterkey Sounds
June 27, 2025 -
Bruce Springsteen Tracks II: The Lost Albums [9xLP]
Legacy Recordings
June 27, 2025 -
Anamanaguchi Anyway (Black/Red)
Polyvinyl Records
August 8, 2025 -
Grinderman Grinderman Eco
Bmg
July 18, 2025 -
The Beaches No Hard Feelings
Beaches Touring Inc.
August 29, 2025 -
Grateful Dead Gratest Hits (Amazon Exclusive; Orange)
Grateful Dead Productions
June 13, 2025 -
Jisoo Amortage; Heart Version (Photobook, Sticker + Poster)
Yg Entertainment
June 6, 2025 -
The Boreouts Do Your Scam B/w Tightrope
Rad Girlfriend Records
June 6, 2025 -
The Hives The Hives Forever Forever The Hives (Gold)
Play It Again Sam
August 29, 2025