The journey from sub-Saharan Niger to Nashville, Tennessee must have been demanding, but it can have been nothing compared to the cultural voyage that Tuareg guitarist Omara "Bombino" Moctar had to make to record his debut for an American mainstream label. Bombino and his band follows the path to the West created by unique collective Tinariwen, but his passage has been eased by the patronage of Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Auerbach, fresh from helping Dr John top a long career with Locked Down , allows Bombino plenty of room to convey an earthy intensity with intricate guitar patterns, set against handclap-driven rhythms. Bombino's nasal, insistent voice adds to the music's mesmeric quality, at times sounding like an exotic Marc Bolan. While we know not what tracks such as Amidinine or Tamiditine are about, they exude a sense of place and drama. Nonesuch.com

Download: Amidinine, Aman, Tamiditine