Tinariwen

Tassili V2****

It was the colourful backstory about musicians with guitars in one hand and Kalashnikovs in the other initially drew people to these nomadic desert-blues rockers, but Tinariwen have different weapons in their arsenal these days. Tassiliis their fifth album, and their rebel yells have become are a little more introspective and emotional. Swapping electric for acoustic guitars, Tinariwen's plaintive, yearning, bitter-sweet campfire soundings are a different shade of the blues from the one they've made their own on previous releases. There are contributions from the Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, but it's Tinariwen's own hypnotic sway that will snare you again and again. The contours traced on ghostly, graceful tracks like Tenere Taqqim Tossam, Asuf D Alwaand Imidiwan Win Saharastay with you long after the album has finished. See tinariwen.com

Download tracks: Tenere Taqqim Tossam, Asuf D Alwa