North Malian trailblazers Tinariwen are set to bring their desert blues to Australia once more.
With a core line-up spanning more than 45 years, the group have carved out their place as the Sahara's most innovative, death-defying, and prolific alternative rock group.Their latest album, 2023's 'Amatssou' (that translates to 'beyond the fear’) distils the essence of Tinariwen like nothing else in their extensive discography. The record simmers with revolutionary resolve, burning with the passion of a group determined to triumph over the weight of relentless geopolitical pressures.
Reintegrating and expanding on their mobile recording techniques (explored on 2019's 'Amadjar'), the album deepens the group's hypnotic, percussion-driven sound, ever-expanding into more experimental sonic landscapes.
The beautiful short film accompanying 'Amatssou' showcases the band in a beautiful recording space in Mauritania. Other parts were tracked in a mobile setup in Algeria's Tassili N'Ajjer National Park. Please tell us about how you established this mobile studio, and what parts were recorded in which locations?
Hello. The whole 'Amatssou' album has been recorded in Algeria in the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park. It was the previous album ('Amadjar') that was recorded in Mauritania.
We set up a camp in the desert in south east Algeria near a small city called Djanet where there is a big Tuareg community. This place is important for Tuareg people because it is in between Tamanrasset and the Libyan border.
In the '80s, lots of Tuareg travelled from Algeria to Libya and Djanet was an important place to stop for resting etc. We bring our recording gear by the road from Tamanarsset where our friends Imarhan (band) have their own recording studio.
In the film, you're shown playing into Behringer cabinets and low-wattage Peavey amplifiers. Are these amps used on the record?
Yes of course, part of Tinariwen sound is coming from this gear. We used to play guitars remotely in the desert with small amps powered by batteries. We like this kind of diy/ sand sound.
There are some incredible tones on 'Amatssou'. Please tell us more about the equipment used on the album, and your approach to crafting such distinctive tones?
It was very simple, only a mix of guitar amps (Peavey Solo, Fender Princeton), but we used tricks: we send back all guitars part, background vocals in the mountains surrounding our camp and re-record the reverberation from the rocks and the sand! This natural reverb give us this typical mood in the sound.
Your tracks are beautifully layered with guitars and percussion, with a lot of credits shared between instruments. How do you go about splitting these instrumental duties when writing, and did that differ on 'Amatssou' compared to your previous works?
The process is quite the same album after album. What is important to say is that we are playing together more than 25 years.
We know each other very well, we have done more than 1,500 shows worldwide. So each of us know what place he has in the sound of the band. We don't need to talk together, everything is happening naturally.
I've read that 'Amatssou' was set to be recorded at Jack White's Nashville Studio, before COVID messed things around. Are there any plans to make that happen in the future?
We don't know. The idea of 'Amatssou' was to make a connection between our music and country music. That's why we wanted to record in Nashville and Jack offered us his private studio. We have no plans yet regarding our next studio album. We will see.
Unlike many of your latest releases, the record doesn't feature many collaborators, other than underrated instrumentalist (and Jack White collaborator) Fats Kaplin. How did this change your approach?
Nothing changed. Usually the guests who perform on our records a really respectful to our music, it is not changing how we do our own.
How was your experience working relatively remotely with co-producer Daniel Lanois (Bob Dylan, Neil Young) on 'Amatssou', and how did he influence the sound?
Daniel Lanois brings a beautiful touch playing pedal steel guitar and additional atmospheric production. His musicality brings some poetry and a beautiful, ambient atmosphere on some songs.
Your sixth and seventh records were partially recorded in Joshua Tree, and featured the likes of Matt Sweeney, Mark Lanegan, and Alain Johannes. What do you like about travelling to record, and where would you like to record next?
We like record in the desert because this is our natural environment. This is where we feel the best to do music. The silence, the nature, the sky inspire us.
Because of all the issue happening in our land (Mali, Niger etc.) we can't record in our home for some years (it is too dangerous for our crew), so we have to find other places, other deserts where we can get this source of inspiration.
You've collaborated with so many influential artists over the years – are there any you're eager to add to the list?
Our collaborations usually happen when we meet artists during our touring, we are not listening to a lot of foreign music, but we are always open to any collaborations.
The latest album references themes of self-determination, national autonomy, and military hostilities facing the Tuareg peoples of the Sahara, from Lybia to Burkina Faso. This is a pervasive and revolutionary element of your music – please tell us about how this impacted your latest work.
As songwriters, we write songs about where we are living.
Nowadays the situation in our land is becoming worst and worst, this is a duty for us to spread the words about this situation. Our people count on us to tell the world about our culture, our language and our issues. If nothing is happening the Tuareg culture will slowly disappear. We need to fight through our music to sustain it.
In the past you've faced many roadblocks in your path, extending even to member Abdallah Ag Lamida being abducted by Ansar Dine militants while protecting your right to perform music. More recently, you were forced to decamp in Morocco when attempting to return to Mali for several months, due to militant threats. How do you maintain such consistent dedication, in light of these struggles?
We don't have the choice; since the early '60s we have been refugees in our own land. There were several rebellions, we tried to find peace but haven't succeeded.
Since last December most of our people left the north of Mali (Azawad) to the Algerian border. The Malian junta supported by the Russian Wagner consider the Tuareg as terrorists. I don't know what the future will be, but I'm quite pessimistic.
How does it feel to be returning to play at the Sydney Opera House, 15 years later?
We are very excited! This venue is incredible!
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us – we're really looking forward to seeing you here. Is there anything else you'd like to share with Australian audiences before the tour?
Thank you, come to the shows. Have fun with us, the world is in crisis nowadays, music can give us a small window of joy.
Tinariwen 2024 Tour Dates
Sat 1 Jun - Vivid Live @ Sydney Opera HouseSun 2 Jun - The Gov (Adelaide)
Tue 4 Jun - Freo.Social (Fremantle)
Thu 6 Jun - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Fri 7 Jun - Rising Festival @ Forum Melbourne
Sat 8 Jun - Odeon Theatre (Hobart)
