Tinariwen
The internal conflicts in northern Mali have seen Tuareg musicians Tinariwen recording away from their homeland for the first time, but they're still in the desert, in stoner rock territory: California's Joshua Tree, ably assisted by Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, Matt Sweeney (Chavez), Nashville fiddler Fats Kaplin and poet Saul Williams. Whilst wherever they are they'll always possess the soul of the Mali blues, with one of the most evocative electric guitar sounds around, six albums down it's these subtle cross-cultural communications that see them expand their palette and continue to feel vital.
