Category: EDCI 336

Experimental Music

I. Reflection

Looking back on the last 120 years of experimental music from the idea of noise as a form of viable musical expression to… well, the idea of noise as a form of viable music expression, it is truly fascinating to see how much has changed about our attitudes and approaches to music and yet, in some ways, how little has changed.

From Luigi Russolo‘s manifesto validating human-made noise as art to the most recent efforts of modern-day hyperpop visionaries, the kinds of art we recognize and celebrate has evolved quite spectacularly. I mean, even in the 1960s, some of the noisy production styles and avant garde topics tackled were largely frowned upon and that same music is regarded as some of the most influential music ever not even 20 years later. Sometimes experimentation failed at first, like for the Velvet Underground, and sometimes it spread like wildfire like hyperpop seems to have in recent years. Sometimes, despite extremely talented artists’ local success, they failed to garner recognition in western music and pop culture like the dub deejays of Jamaica or the desert blues pioneers of desert blues in Mali. From these trends, it’s clear that globalization and the online state of the world in recent years affects artists’ success and ability to reach wider audiences as the internet effectively opens up the global market for artists to be more prolific than ever. Still, there is also the factor of western monocultural ideals that, to this day, largely prevent other cultures’ music from making waves and receiving the recognition they deserve in western media. Sure, many of the artists spoken of today have wikipedia articles but really, how many Malian or Jamaican artists can you name (besides Bob Marley)? I couldn’t name many before I did this project.

This inquiry has been the first baby step into really exploring the vast world of music this planet has to offer beyond our narrow western horizon. I admit that I easily could have put more time into discovering experimental music from other cultures, but I also wanted to dig deeper into diverse artists from genres I was already somewhat familiar with. I think this balanced out for a really unique exploratory experience which allowed me to reunite with some artists I hadn’t heard in a long time or discover some that I might never have listened to otherwise.

II. Speculation

With increasing globalization and technology being ever-present in our every day lives, it’s hard to even begin to predict where experimental music could possibly go from here. I mean, realistically we’ll have to wait and see, but I want to speculate nonetheless.

I think hyperpop and industrial hip-hop share some similarities which could project the next decade or so of underground and experimental music, at least in the west. There seems to be a clear trend towards harsh noise and glitchy production with large amounts of compression and extreme distortion. In fact, I would say that music is getting extreme. Sure, you can point to similar extremes of the past (just look at Merzbow from Japan’s japanoise scene – active in the harsh noise scene since the late 70s) but this extremity is reaching the relative mainstream. I suspect pop music will always be there to lean on as a crutch of familiarity, but experimental music is becoming more accessible and popular and with that, I can sense that artists are taking more risks because they have a wider audience who can directly support them in their weirdness. Sonically, it’s impossible to saw what the next big innovation of the late 2020s or 2030s will bring, but I am excited for whatever extreme pop or hip-hop or rock behemoth rears its head.

But I want to be more conscious about listening to music from other countries going forward. I’m not in the minority for largely listening to music from the United States and Europe with a little Canada and Australia in the mix. Even the music I do listen to from non-western countries tend to sound similar or be clearly influenced by western genres. Since I am ultimately out of touch when it comes to the majority of non-western music, it’s impossible for me to speculate on where it might go from here. This inquiry has been a good reminder for me to seek out all kinds of music to broaden my own musical horizon and I hope it’s inspired someone else to seek out some new music too!

III. In Closing

Along the way, I’ve highlighted 24 different artists with a song by each of them. For the sake of convenience and documentation, I’ve compiled a Spotify playlist with each of the songs so they can be accessed and listened to more easily:

Hyperpop

I. Introduction: A Brief History

Some of the music in this blog so far can be described as minimalist, but that is far from the case for hyperpop. Originating in the UK in the 2010s, the term “hyperpop” supposedly originated in 1988 by writer Don Shewey as he was writing about the Scottish dream pop band, Cocteau Twins noting that 80s England had “nurtured the simultaneous phenomena of hyperpop and antipop”. As a sound, subculture, and official label, however, it began being applied to some music used in SoundCloud‘s nightcore scene before eventually seeping into more mainstream platforms such as Spotify. An analyst for Spotify, Glenn McDonald suggests that hyperpop did not qualify as a microgenre until 2018 making it a relatively new style. Speaking of its style, hyperpop is often exaggerated and eclectic with self-referential lyrics overlaying a typical pop song turned up to the max; instrumentals frequently employ aggressive synth melodies, auto-tuned vocals, and tons of compression and distortion. As a subculture, the movement is often associated with LGBTQ+ online communities with many influential figures being transgender, non-binary, and/or gay. Many of these artists also dabble in similar styles such as glitchcore and digicore. As such a new microgenre, it has plenty of room to grow, but has already uniquely mixed a ton of inspirations to make something entirely new with some even noting the similarities between glitch-style music and Luigi Russolo‘s ‘The Art of Noises‘—no I didn’t plan that.

II. Notable Artists

Some notable musicians who contributed to tishoumaren (desert blues) are outlined in the following section. As in the previous entries, my goal is to focus primarily on underrepresented, diverse musicians who were largely overlooked or marginalized in some way.

Ada Rook – Black Dresses

Rook is a Canadian based in Toronto, ON. She has been a prolific artist dabbling in all sorts of musical styles from synth-pop with her group Rook&Nomie (composed of Rook and bandmate Neotenomie) to her more aggressive glitchy, noisy, hyperpop band Black Dresses which she formed with Devi McCallion in 2017. Rook and McCallion began collaborating after Rook send a beat to McCallion via Twitter. Their first album ‘Wasteisolation‘ (2018) was recorded entirely through online collaboration. The album received positive coverage from reputable music journals such as Stereogum and The Fader and dealt directly with their experiences as trans women in a world which is very hostile towards them. Following their 2020 album ‘Peaceful as Hell‘, the band announced they had broken up. Despite this, the duo have gone on to release two more studio albums in 2021 and 2022 respectively signifying their triumphant return. Stylistically, they deal in extremes with glitchy, metallic production that sometimes carries soft, serene melodies and other times features bellowing screams and blown out distortion. The song ‘CREEP U‘ (see video below) from their album ‘Peaceful as Hell‘ (2020) is the perfect example showcasing their softer and more aggressive sides within the same song.

Reflection on ‘CREEP U‘ (2020) by Black Dresses:

I love the bass that kicks off the song. I’m really captivated by the lyrics on this one. They’re really easy to make out and tell a compelling story and give insight into the vocalist’s (not sure if it’s Rook or McCallion singing this part honestly) experience. The melody is simple but it’s so catchy. The imagery used right before the first chorus is fantastic “I’m a building that’s condemned with only bugs living inside”. Brilliant. The simplicity of the earworm chorus is brilliant too. I love how it has a few different layers to it – like it starts quiet and by the second round it feels fully fleshed-out. The song structure is interesting. Where you’d normally have the second chorus, they throw in a sort of bridge which is unexpected, but it flows so well. I love the fuzzy synths that litter this section. It feels sparse and desolate but then in bursts back into the euphoric chorus. I love the “popping” synths that come in for the chorus too. Just incredible. I can’t get enough of this song. Just when I thought I’d heard it all, there’s the… second bridge? The super glitchy part. At first it’s just extra fuzzy and distorted, but it gradually descends into a literal paper shredder. This song is just everything. Just before the outro / final chorus, the song all but destroys itself before coming back to a minimal version of the refrain. Man, I need to listen to the rest of their stuff.

Laura Les – 100 gecs

Born in 1994, Les grew up in St. Louis, MO and became interested in music as she learned how to play the guitar. She got a degree in acoustic engineering from Columbia College, in Chicago, IL and began releasing music under the alias osno1. In high school she met with Dylan Brady with whom she would go on to collaborate and form her current main outfit, 100 gecs in 2015. Originally, Les and Brady would record their music together in Chicago before relocating to Los Angeles in 2020. Their first EP, ‘100 gecs‘ was released in 2016 and they struggled to find time to record a proper debut album until a few years later. In 2019 they landed a DJ set for the 2019 Minecraft Fire Festival which prompted them to begin working on their frist full-length album. Their studio album debut, ‘1000 gecs‘ was received positively and their early work was said to help define hyperpop in the 2010s. A year later they collaborated with a ton of influential artists such as Charli XCX and Fall Out Boy on the remixed version of their first album: ‘1000 gecs and The Tree of Clues‘ (2020) which boosted their success substantially. They also collaborated with some lesser known artists like Dorain Electra, Kero Kero Bonito, and even Black Dresses which helped those artists gain some popularity too. Finally, in 2023 100 gecs released their second full length album, ‘10,000 gecs‘. This album features a bit more musical variety bringing influences from pop punk, ska, and nu metal, while still maintaining a very hyperpop demeanor. The first single from their new album, ‘mememe’ was actually released over a year prior in late 2021. This song showcases the chaotic range of inspirations they mash together.

Reflection on ‘mememe’ (2021) by 100 gecs:

What a chaotic song that also just happens to be quite the earworm. I mean the vocals, at least for the chorus, are simple and repetitive like a bottom-of-the-barrel pop song, but the way they’re produced is just so weird. By the second repetition of the chorus, however, the overblown distortion and noise is overpowering and it becomes abundantly clear that this is anything but a bottom-of-the-barrel pop song. But the verses take yet another sharp turn into ska-punk territory with the strumming pattern. The vocals, especially on the verses, have a very 2020’s internet vibe to them that I can’t possibly put into words, but it’s somehow so fitting despite the song itself being a literal mish-mash of everything under the sun. I don’t have a ton to say about the lyrics or the rest of the instrumental, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of my favourite songs of the past few years. It’s hyperpop bliss at its best. Please check out the rest of the album. Hands down my favourite album of 2023 so far.

underscores (April Harper Grey)

Growing up in San Francisco, Grey became interested in writing and recording music at the age of 6. She began releasing music on SoundCloud under the name underscores in 2013 at the age of 13 but much of her early music is no longer available. Finally in 2021 Grey released her first studio album, ‘Fishmonger‘ which garnered the attention of some big names in the electronic and alternative scenes such as Travis Barker of Blink-182, Glaive, and Lido. In 2023, Grey would release her follow-up studio album ‘Wallsocket‘ which was also successful. Having worked somewhat with Dylan Brady from 100 gecs, underscores would go on to open for 100 gecs in 2021. Stylistically, underscores brings together elements of dubstep (citing Skrillex as an early influence), pop punk, and of course hyperpop. The lead single from ‘Wallsocket‘, ‘Cops and robbers’ (see video below) was released in May 2023 and presents a very solid hyerpop track to kick off the album.

Reflection on ‘Cops and robbers‘ (2023) by underscores:

The song sort of opens like a subdued grunge track before erupting into a more recognizable hyperpop song. The lyrics recount the supposed methods the protagonist uses to rob innocent bank patrons. The vocals are very reminiscent of 100 gecs’ in my opinion, but they still manage to do something unique with it. There’s obviously a more alt. rock influence compared to gecs, but the fast-paced, chaotic energy still feels very hyperpop. The middle section where the tempo really drops and the instruments mostly cut out is really interesting. The drums and synths throughout the song are delightfully blown-out and crunchy, as I’ve come to anticipate from hyperpop and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just love everything about this and can’t wait to hear where underscores goes next! This is another incredible album from 2023 that I’d highly recommend if you like this track!

References:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperpop

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitch_(music)

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Dresses

[4] Hansen, V. (2021). Serial collaborator Ada Rook makes all kinds of music, from slick synthpop to aggressive grindcore. Xtra Magazine. Retrieved from https://xtramagazine.com/culture/ada-rook-black-dresses-synthpop-grindcore-202138

[5] blacksquares. (2020). Black Dresses – CREEP U (Official Audio). YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9RSZmltcVI

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Les

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_gecs

[8] 100 gecs. (2021). 100 gecs – mememe {OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO}. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bw2dTY3SsQ

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underscores_(musician)

[10] underscores. (2023). underscores ‘Cops and robbers’ Lyric Video. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9siKNJllpc

Industrial Hip-hop

I. Introduction: A Brief History

Industrial hip-hop, as the name would imply, is a blending of hip-hop with features of industrial music, both of which were independently becoming more and more prominent in popular culture by the early 90’s. The “golden age” of hip-hop, the late 80’s and early 90’s saw some massively influential rappers and groups like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and Wu-Tang Clan come to prominence and are still regarded as incredibly important in hip-hop and popular music as a whole 30 years later. Around the same time, industrial rock bands like Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and Nine Inch Nails were making waves in the underground rock scene. It was only a matter of time before the two styles would collide in the coming years. Into the 2010s, industrial hip-hop became more and more prominent to the point where it’s starting to bubble to the surface, but still cannot be considered mainstream.

II. Notable Artists

Some notable musicians who contributed to tishoumaren (desert blues) are outlined in the following section. As in the previous entries, my goal is to focus primarily on underrepresented, diverse musicians who were largely overlooked or marginalized in some way.

MC Ride (Stefan Burnett) – Death Grips

Stefan Burnett, known more commonly by his stage name, MC Ride, is currently the leading member of one of the more successful industrial hip-hop groups, Death Grips. He was born and raised in Sacramento, CA. Prior to the relative success they found in 2011 with Death Grips’ debut mixtape ‘Exmillitary’, Burnett performed with another experimental hip-hop group called Fyre under the alias Mxlplx along with his brother who used the name Swank and another Sacramento-based rapper, Young. G. When his brother got married and could no longer continue the group, they disbanded and Burnett pursued a career as a painter in the meantime. In 2010, he adopted the name “Ride” and formed Death Grips with he next door neighbour, Zach Hill who was known for drumming with the band Hella. Shortly after recruiting producer Andy Morin, they released ‘Exmillitary’ in 2011 which was released to widespread acclaim. Since then, Death Grips has released six studio albums and have become well-respected and revered in experimental and underground music circles. Their style sits rather ambiguously in the ballpark of hip-hop, punk rock, electronica, and noise but can generally be summed up as industrial hip-hop. A song of theirs that does a good job of exemplifying this chaotic blend of styles is ‘Anne Bonny’ from their 2013 album ‘Government Plates’ (see video below).

Reflection on ‘Anne Bonny’ (2013) by Death Grips:

This song has an interesting start. I mean where to even begin? It’s surprisingly minimalistic at the beginning with a really simple metronome-like beat, some simple synths, and a vocal line. Less than a minute in the song suddenly gets really gritty with this like razor-sharp, distorted synth-bass thing and a tempo shift, the beat itself sound completely distorted and the vocals become far more aggressive. I can’t begin to understand what MD Ride is rapping about here, but I know enough about Death Grips to understand that most of the lyrics are purposefully dark and violent. I really enjoy the interplay between the two parts of the song how it sounds almost euphoric for the refrains but the verses sound so sinister – it’s really hard to describe how the track makes me feel, but it’s definitely unsettling. Despite this, I love Death Grips. I’d highly recommend any of their albums, but ‘Government Plates’ is their most underrated in my opinion.

theOGM – Ho99o9

theOgm is one of the main two members of Ho99o9 (pronounced “Horror”), an industrial / punk rap duo group formed in 2012 in Newark, NJ. theOGM was raised in Linden, NJ. Prior to their formation, the members were heavily influenced by gasta rappers such as DMX and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony but began attending punk shows in Brooklyn which would influence them further. Ho99o9 is notable for their live sets where they wear all sorts of costumes including bridal gowns and fake nails, frequently changing costumes. They also use studio pre-recordings of guitars to help facilitate the more chaotic, free energy of their performances. Their debut album ‘The United States of Horror’ was released in 2017 which tackles racism and discrimination and other social issues, though the band does not want to be labelled as “political”. An excellent track from their debut album is ‘War is Hell’ (2017; see video below). This track really captures both the experimental, heavier rock elements and the clear hip-hop inspiration they fuse together in their music.

“It was our plan to do this before Trump was even elected. It’s about everything we’ve seen, from women and partying to racism and the way people of colour or gender are being treated. It’s f***ing in your face and real, and what we wake up to every day.”

– Eaddy, Ho99o9 (2017)

Reflection on ‘War is Hell’ (2017) by Ho99o9:

This song is fairly aggressive right out the gate. The vocals here are a bit more reminiscent of 90s industrial rock, like Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. The distorted synth base underlying the track is minimalistic but unsettling and the sharp percussion sounds like a trash can getting the crap beaten out of it. There’s so much noise here but I love it. The way the vocals get pitch shifted down at one point really add to the aggression and sense of impending doom of the track as a whole. As with the Death Grips, I can’t claim to understand the majority of the lyrics, but I can gather that it’s a commentary on the state of things in the USA and against war in general. I did also watch the music video on YouTube, but it is a bit gruesome and violent and I figured it best not to post it here. Go watch it if you’re interested but view digression advised as there’s some heavy imagery.

Daveed Diggs – clipping.

Born in Oakland, CA to a Jewish mother and an African-American father in 1982, Diggs got his first name from the Jewish pronunciation of David and his father liked how the two E’s looked. His parents’ ethnicities have contributed to Diggs’ own self-identity; he identified with his mother’s Jewish heritage and his father’s background as well, never seeing the two as separate. Diggs graduated from Brown University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts. Post-graduation, he worked as a substitute teacher. In 2010, he joined William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes in their hip-hop group clipping. which they had formed the year prior. Diggs took the role of vocalist and writer. In 2013 they released their debut mixtape ‘midcity‘ with some success. In 2014, after signing with Sub Pop, they released their first album ‘CLPPNG‘. Meanwhile, Diggs remained involved with musical theatre: in 2012, he was asked by Lin-Manuel Miranda to read and hear early versions of Hamilton. Impressed by Miranda’s vision and passion for the project, Diggs went on to portray Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette off Broadway in 2015. clipping. would go on to find moderate success throughout the 2010s and adopted some abrasive, industrial tendencies along the way. Their track ‘Story 7’ from their 2019 album ‘There Existed an Addiction to Blood‘ does a good way of showcasing both Diggs’ sharp lyricism and the group’s overall uneasy sound.

Reflection on ‘Story 7’ (2019) by clipping.:

I think this is the closest we’ve come to traditional hip-hop in this blog post and even then this is not your grandma’s hip-hop. It starts out minimalistic with just Diggs’ vocals and a really simple beat. Even when the track really gets going, not much instrumentation is added, but the beat / percussion gets a bit more complex. The percussion is, again, sharp and noisy. Diggs’ flow is really impressive. There are parts where he’s rapping quite quickly and the refrains feature a more melodic, almost singing flow. It’s hard to tell exactly what the lyrics are trying to convey, especially in the parts where Diggs is rapping really fast, but I just love the noisy production on this track. It manages to create a really oppressive atmosphere with little more than a voice and a simple beat. I wouldn’t even call Diggs’ vocals “scary”, it’s really just the percussion that achieves this, but somehow the vocals really compliment it. I really want to check out more of clipping.’s stuff! They’re on my list to dive into.

References:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_hip_hop

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Ride

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Grips

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exmilitary

[5] Death Grips. (2013). Death Grips – Anne Bonny. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4CpypI7SOo

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho99o9

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Horror

[8] de Gallier, T. (2017). Freaks unleashed: Why Ho99o9 could be metal’s most vital new band. Hammer. Retrieved from https://www.loudersound.com/features/freaks-unleashed-why-ho99o9-could-be-metals-most-vital-new-band

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daveed_Diggs

[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipping_(band)

[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Existed_an_Addiction_to_Blood

[12] clppng. (2019). Story 7. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzwvWtJ4nwM

Tishoumaren (Desert Blues)

I. Introduction: A Brief History

Tishoumaren, known internationally as desert blues or Saharan rock, is a genre that comes from the Sahara region of North and West Africa. Sometimes it is referred to simply as “guitar music”. The music finds its roots in the cultural expression of the Tuareg people of the region of Northwest Africa which would become modern day Mali, Algeria, Niger, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Chad amid the sociopolitical tension of post-colonial Africa. Following extreme drought in 1973 which negatively impacted the Tamasheq-speaking traditional nomadic pastoral lifestyle, many had to reconsider their livelihoods. This resulted in the term “ishumar”, a term derived from the French word “chômeur“, which means “unemployed” being used to refer to young Tamasheq. Many members of this younger generation of Tamasheq would go on to experiment with guitar-based music—first acoustic, then eventually electric.

In Tin Essako in early 2001 Manny Ansar, the manager of the Tuarged band Tinariwen co-organized the first ever annual Festival au Désert (Festival in the Desert) which showcased mainly Tuareg music but also brought in musicians from around the world. The festival was held annually between 2001 and 2012 when, Islamic militants invaded Timbuktu where the festival was being held by 2010. Since 2012 the festival has not been held due to security concerns.

II. Notable Artists

Some notable musicians who contributed to tishoumaren (desert blues) are outlined in the following section. As in the previous entries, my goal is to focus primarily on underrepresented, diverse musicians who were largely overlooked—or still are largely overlooked in western culture.

Ali Farka Touré (1939 – 2006)

Touré, often cited as a pioneer of desert blues, is a singer and multi-instrumentalism born to a family belonging to the Songhai community in the village of Kanau, Mali before his family moved to the village of Naifunké while he was still an infant. His father died in 1960 while serving in the French army. He was the tenth son born to his mother, the only one who survived past infancy. His nickname, “Farka”, which means “donkey”, was given to him by his parents as the donkey is revered for its stubbornness and tenacity. In Malian culture, musical performance was for members of a lower castle called the “griot” and since he was from the “noble” castle, Touré was forbidden from playing music. Despite this, he built a monochord in secret out of a tin can to play with his friends. Touré’s breakthrough into the music industry was his job as a sound engineer at Radio Mali in Bamako, the only recording studio in Mali. After sending tapes to several French record labels, he was able to release a series of self-titled albums in the late 70s and early 80s. After a long, successful career, Touré passed away in 2006 from bone cancer. He is notable not only in African music, but also managed to find international success. Musically, Touré masterfully blended Malian music with African American blues. An excellent example of Touré’s musicianship comes in the form of ‘Savane’ from his very last album of the same name (2006; see video below).

“Let me make one thing clear. I’m the donkey that nobody climbs on”

– Ali Farka Touré (n.d.) [3]

Reflection on ‘Savane‘ by Ali Farka Touré (2006):

The simplicity of the sound yet the complexity of the guitar playing in the opening seconds captured my attention immediately. Once a few extra layers of guitar come in, I’m even more sold than I was initially. He managed to create a sense of tension with a hint of cheekiness. His voice comes in and I just love what I hear. He’s singing in French but I can’t quite make out the lyrical content. His lyrics are sparse but effective. They start soft, but build a bit in volume and emotion throughout the song. I adore the instrumental breaks. I love how on one hand the track is fairly minimalistic, only really incorporating guitar with some vocals here and there. I absolutely adore what I’m hearing and am excited to listen to more from Touré!

Fadimata Walett Oumar – Tartit

Born around 1960 in the commune of Gargando in Mali, Oumar—also know by her nickname, Disco—is one of the key members of the Tuareg music group, Tartit. She lived a nomadic life in her youth and had a passion for music from a young age. She would often sit by the fire singing while playing the anzad—a traditional Tuareg fiddle. Amid the Tuareg rebellion against the Malian and Nigerian states in the early to mid-1990s, Oumar took refuge in a refugee camp in Burkina Faso. After traveling to Italy a couple times in that time, she founded the Tartit’n’Chetma (“The Union of Sisters”) in 1995 with the aim of economic reintegration and education for children. The same year, she was encouraged by Brigitte Caquet, director Voix des Femmes, a festical in Liège, Belgium to form a musical group and play in Europe. Realizing that a career in music might give her a platform upon which to raise awareness for the living conditions of exiled families, she went on to form Tartit which means “union” in Tamacheck. In 2003, Tartit would go on to perform in the Festival au Désert. By this time, Tartit had cemented themselves as an important desert blues group. Their 2006 song ‘Ansari’ (see video below) does a wonderful job of displaying their undeniable talent.

Reflection on ‘Ansari‘ by Tartit (2006):

Within like 3 seconds I found myself bobbing along to the smooth beat. The percussion is especially irresistible. The vocals are also absolutely serene! I almost appreciate the fact that I don’t understand anything that’s being said I cause I can really get lost in those delicious guitar licks, those thick drums, and the angelic chorus of women singing. I can kind of picture myself listening to the band play this around a giant bonfire for some reason. It’s the kind of song that just takes me out of where I am and makes me forget about the world for a few minutes and that’s quite the feat. It’s almost hard to really focus my thoughts cause I just get so caught up in nodding along – makes me want to dance and I’m a terrible dancer! It’s just so good! I actually went ahead and listened to the whole album and it’s just fantastic the whole way through. Highly recommend!

Ibrahim Ag Alhabib – Tinariwen

Alhabib was born in the village of Tessalit, Mali around 1960. From a young age he was passionate about music: when he was young, he played the flute and even made his first guitar out of a can and some strings. When Alhabib was only a few years old, his father was executed by the Malian army when he was accused of being in contact with the Tuareg rebellion (1962-1964). Due to extreme drought and massacres of civilians at the hand of the Malian army, he fled for Algeria with his grandmother at the age of four. Throughout his early adulthood, Alhabib worked several trade jobs but continued playing guitar influenced by the likes of Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Boney M.. He began hosting concerts with several friends who would go on to form the musical group Tinariwen, meaning “the building of countries / lands” in 1982. They would go on to be influential in the Tuareg rebellion of the 1990s while aiming to spread messages of hope and resistance to fellow Tuaregs. Tinariwen is considered to be a very important group in the music world of desert blues, and their song ‘Cler Achel’ (see video below) from their album ‘Aman Iman‘ (201makes it clear why they are seen as so influential.

Reflection on ‘Cler Achel‘ by Tinariwen (2007):

Like the previous track, I can’t help but move and nod along to this one. The one thing I am noticing that stands out is the inclusion of electric guitar with a little extra distortion and drive compared to the previous two tracks. This one is a bit more upbeat and energized which makes me feel like I’m on an epic journey, but far from alone; the chorus of voices that accompany Alhabib just boosts the energy to the next level making it really feel much bigger. Like the previous song, I haven’t a clue what the lyrics are about, but I love that I can just focus on the driving beat and those sexy guitar riffs. It’s just… groovy. That’s the best way I can describe it. I’ll definitely have to check out more of Tinariwen’s work because this is just so catchy and fun!

References:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_blues

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_au_D%C3%A9sert

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Farka_Tour%C3%A9

[4] Ali Farka Touré. (2022). Savane. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC81Wsk3p2Q

[5] https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fadimata_Walet_Oumar

[6] https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartit

[7] kasargodkaderbhai. (2009). Ansari. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOuN0afJDU

[8] https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_ag_Alhabib

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinariwen

[10] Tinariwen. (2019). Cler Achel. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tkeGLHxuTI