If there’s anything I know about “desert blues,” it’s that North Africans do it best. And Algerian 5-piece Imarhan, from Tamanrasset in Southern Algeria, singing in their native Tamashek, are blowing my mind. And it’s no surprise really, considering this young band formed under the guidance of legends Tinariwen. Their new album Temet drops in February of next year via Berlin label City Slang, and today they’re sharing the music video for lead single “Azzaman.” Check it out, and read a moving message from frontman Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane.
“People should love each other. They need to know each other, we need to know each other, everyone should get to know their neighbor.”
Now press play, and get those bones moving. —Maya Eslami