Album Review: Tamikrest - Chatma

It's Mali's electric blues and it's the remarkable life-affirming sounds of the desert, the toil, sorrow and beauty, all tied together beneath twanging riffs and hand percussion. Political instability and the introduction of Sharia law has seen the band relocate to Algeria to escape the violence, yet also produce the best album of their short career. Chatma means sisters, and this album is a dedication to the toil of the Tuareg women. Without ever forsaking their identity Tamikrest have expanded their palette, touching upon everything from reggae to psychedelia, representing not just their homeland, but their hope for the future.