Review Summary: A slightly flawed, yet hauntingly beautiful, reminder of what music is really about.
Despite its rapid growth and “westernization”, there is still much Western people don’t know about the African continent. Whether it’s the barren savannahs, the scarcely populated mini-countries or just an altogether different cultural mindset, the Dark Continent remains, for the most part, enshrouded in mystery. And in that context, the touaregs, or “blue people”, are undoubtedly one of its longest-lasting enigmas. Clad in dark full-body costumes, the touaregs of the Sahara traverse the desert on camelback, stopping when they deem necessary to eat, sleep or even settle for a while. Their world is one in which the technologies we know, love and depend on today do not exist; a world much more in tune with tradition and the primal side of humankind, which makes it pretty much unfathomable for the average Western citizen.
This is why Tinariwen’s four albums and one documentary are, more than a mere artistic oeuvre, a veritable public service to the Western world. The group’s leader, Ibrahim Al Hagabib, is a genuine “blue man” who took it upon himself to divulge his culture’s musical tradition and legacy in the Western world. To achieve that goal, he entered a recording studio with his band of musicians – also touaregs – in 2000, giving birth to what would become the first item in a short, but respectable, discography. Simply titled
The Radio Tisdas Sessions, it was recorded at the local radio station of the same name and constituted Tinariwen’s first international release, after a few internal-consumption tapes (yes, tapes). It also helped lay the bases for the remainder of the band’s career, presenting many of the elements Tinariwen are known for today.
Comprised of a deceptively long nine tracks – plus a short live bonus –
The Radio Tisdas Sessions’s setup is simplicity itself. Much like the first Simon and Garfunkel album, the group basically rely on guitar and vocals to create the melody for each song. Here and there, there are touches of bass guitar or local instruments, but for the most part, acoustic guitar picking and group chants are what drives the group’s sound. The effect created is haunting, with the music’s stripped-bare nature reminding the listener that real beauty often lies in simplicity. The songs are laid-back, moving along at a languorous pace and evoking images of camelback journeys and chilly nights around the campfire, talking and making music. The whole effect is one of escapism, carrying the listener to a better place and away from the petty complications of the civilized world.
One of the strongest points of the album, apart from its unpretentious simplicity, is the extent to which Tinariwen can milk their scarce resources. Most songs on this album have a definite identity, with
Le Chant Des Fauves establishing the group’s basic sound,
Imidiwaren expanding on it through the subtle use of a traditional instrument on the right speaker, and the intro riff of
Zin es Gourmeden bringing an acoustic guitar awesomely close to an electrified lap steel, with the short solo following suit a while later. By this point, the listener is entranced, and hanging on the balance to see what the band will dish out next.
Unfortunately, this is where the album’s main weakness comes in. The second half of
The Radio Tisdas Sessions is significantly weaker than the first, with most of the songs sounding alike and making the listener somewhat indifferent. However, songs like
Mataraden Anexan do manage to capture our interest again, not to mention that, even at its most boring, Tinariwen’s music still retains a definite sense of quality: it may be boring music, but it’s
really good boring music.
Despite its flaws, however,
Radio Tisdas stands as an incredibly strong debut, in a career which would maintain and expand upon this level of quality. And while it’s not for everyone (those who can’t live without their blastbeats will find themselves nodding off at around the third track), it’s highly recommended both for fans of ethnic music and for those who like
good music, period. It is also a reminder that, way back when it was created, at the dawn of Mankind,
this is what music used to sound like.
Recommended Tracks
Imidiwaren
Zin es Gourmeden
Mataraden Anexan
