Named after a studio space they built in Tamanrasset, Algeria, Imarhan‘s new album, Aboogi, instantly transports you to a different world where everything slows down, the tea is delicious, and you spend nights listening to music and dancing around a fire now and then.
Opener “Achinkad” sets this tone right away with its simple guitar chords, hand percussion and claps, and meditative vocals. “Derhan” builds on this theme of communal bliss. “Temet” (not to be confused with their 2018 album of the same name) is a haunting warm wind as the sun comes up on a desert cooled overnight. “Tindjatan” is a tale of a great battle in which many Tuaregs were killed. “Asof” is nothing but vocals, simple hand percussion, and guitar chords that drift into windswept dunes, and it’s lovely.
“Assossam” spins a tale of economic disparity in southern Algeria, all the while keeping some optimism with its beats and lively guitar work. The lyrics of “Taghadart” are ones of grief, but hope within that grief (i.e., “Please safeguard my trust from now until the end of time.”). “Laouni” is like a lazy stroll along the crest of a desert hill. It flows so well into “Imaslan N’Assouf” that it’s almost hypnotizing. I don’t have a translation of the lyrics for “Tamiditin,” but the guitar and vocal delivery on it makes it sound like Tuareg blues. The album ends with “Adar Newlan,” a song about the increase in youth imprisonment rates in the band’s native land and how these sentences affect families and communities.
Aboogi is a powerful record in its peaceful delivery. Imarhan have every right to rage and shred, but they decide to deliver prayers and meditations instead.
Today, Tuareg quintet Imarhan releases “Adar Newlan,” a collaboration with Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals and the third single off of their third studio album, Aboogi, out Friday, January 28 on City Slang. Imarhan and Rhys wrote and recorded the song together at Aboogi Studio, the band’s studio in Tamanrasset, Algeria. Sung in the musicians’ native languages of Tamasheq and Welsh, the song is about the universal value of kinship and more specifically highlights the struggles of the young people of Tamanrasset. The video for “Adar Newlan” was directed, written, and animated by Hugo and Rodolphe Jouxtel of Fantômes and produced by Ondine Benetier for La Blogothèque and Wedge. The song follows two previous singles, “Tamiditin (feat. Japonais)” and “Achinkad.”
Imarhan first met Rhys in London at an Africa Express event, organized by Damon Albarn. Rhys elaborates on their collaboration: “My time at Aboogi with Imarhan was unforgettable. We hid from the sun and drank hot strong tea in the orange tent within the studio’s outdoor compound and exchanged musical ideas. New friends singing in multiple languages; Tamasheq, Welsh, French, English, Arabic drifted on the air from the studio door into the yard. Songs seemed to flow and grow quickly and effortlessly in these conditions. Right where the city meets the mountains, and where you can glimpse both worlds, capped by the ceiling of their gigantic sky – without barely moving your head.“
The video depicts a man coming to listen to a group of Tuaregs who recall the legendary struggles of their ancestors as they sit by the fireside. Time passing has transformed the history into tales and legends, spawning many versions as tea is prepared. Story telling becomes dialogue and dialogue becomes lively debate. Imarhan says, “As we delve into their contrasting imaginations, the truth seems to slip like sand between our fingers…finally giving way to a common story, enriched by sharing and begging to be reinterpreted, again and again.”
Imarhan built Aboogi Studio themselves so that they could finally record on their home soil and provide the same resources to other artists in the Tamanrasset area. On the region, Rhys said, “A simple four meter walk to the studio then to document these ideas live and in the moment – [it was] the perfect way to record. To get to visit Tamanrasset in the first place, to receive the warmest welcome possible and to travel into the desert and witness all its beautiful glory by day and its infinite stars at night was life changing enough in itself, but that’s an entirely different story!” It seemed only natural to also call the resulting collection of songs Aboogi, a nod to the new collective space Imarhan created, as well as the historic resilience of their culture and people.
Aboogi also features collaborations with Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Tinariwen’s Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, solidifying Imarhan as a truly global group, united with their collaborators in a spirit of resistance and societal change. Following Imarhan’s exhilarating 2018 album Temet, Aboogi’s featherweight, festive music belies the band’s fierce sense of conviction and justice. These are the complexities that make Imarhan’s music so prescient – beauty and tranquility intermingle with strife and heartache, creating a dynamic view of life for those subjugated by over a century of colonialism and lopsided revolutions but blessed with extraordinary community, art and culture.
Imarhan are: Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane (aka Sadam), Tahar Khaldi, Hicham Bouhasse, Haiballah Akhamouk and Abdelkader Ourzig. Watch Video for “Achinkad”
Today, Tuareg quintet Imarhan unveil “Tamiditin (feat. Japonais)” off of their third studio album, Aboogi, out January 28th, 2022 on City Slang. Japonais, aka the late poet Mohamed Ag Itlale, was a pillar of the Tuareg community who passed away shortly after these recordings were made. The album was recorded in Aboogi Studio, the first professional recording studio in Tamanrasset, built by Imarhan themselves.
Bandleader Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane, aka Sadam, said, “Japonais passing has left a big void in Tuareg music. It was enough to exist in the same precious time as his poetry and music but to have recorded with him at Aboogi Studio was so special. He was an exceptional artist and personality. He listened to everyone, never critical, encouraging younger generations because he felt change is important in music. When I met him by chance, it felt like magic. He knew about Imarhan and wanted us to sing his songs because he didn’t have the strength and trusted us to carry his music on. His progressive mind and positive energy will always be part of our community and in our hearts.” Listen to “Tamiditin (feat. Japonais)”
Aboogi also features collaborations with Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, plus Tinariwen’s Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, solidifying Imarhan as a truly global group, united with their collaborators in a spirit of resistance and societal change. Following Imarhan’s exhilarating 2018 album Temet, Aboogi is as serene and open as the desert it emerged from. The featherweight, festive music on Aboogi belies the band’s fierce sense of conviction and justice. These are the complexities that make Imarhan’s music so prescient – beauty and tranquility intermingle with strife and heartache, creating a dynamic view of life for those subjugated by over a century of colonialism and lopsided revolutions but blessed with extraordinary community, art and culture.
This new album is the first the band recorded on their native soil, and in a studio they built. It seemed only natural to also call the resulting collection of songs Aboogi, a nod to the new collective space they created, as well as the historic resilience of their culture and people.
Next spring, Imarhan will embark on a European tour. Full dates are listed below, and US tour dates are forthcoming. Watch Imarhan’s Video for “Achinkad”
Imarhan Tour Dates Wed. Mar. 9, 2022 – Rennes, FR @ Théâtre L’Aire Libre Thu. Mar. 10, 2022 – Tourcoing, FR @ Grand Mix Sat. Mar. 12, 2022 – Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store Sun. Mar. 13, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Mon. Mar. 14, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tue. Mar. 15, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange Thu. Mar. 17, 2022 – London, UK @ The Dome Fri. Mar. 18, 2022 – Gent, BE @ De Centrale Sat. Mar. 19, 2022 – Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat Sun. Mar. 20, 2022 – Brussels, BE @ AB-club Mon. Mar. 21, 2022 – Den Haag, NL @ Paard Wed. Mar. 23, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Alice Thu. Mar. 24, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Badehaus Fri. Mar. 25, 2022 – Erfurt, DE @ Franz Mehlhose Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 – Genève, CH @ PTR L’Usine Tue. Mar. 29, 2022 – Lyon, FR @ Ninkasi Wed. Mar. 30, 2022 – Paris, FR @ La Gaité Lyrique Thu. Mar. 31, 2022 – Rouen, FR @ Le 106 Club Fri. Apr. 1, 2022 – Orléans, FR @ Astrolobe Sat. Apr. 2, 2022 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Connexion Mon. Apr. 4, 2022 – Valencia, ES @ 16 Toneladas Tue. Apr. 5, 2022 – Madrid, ES @ Clamores Thu. Apr. 7, 2022 – Braga, PT @ Teatro Circo Fri. Apr. 8, 2022 – Lisbon, PT @ Music Box Sat. Apr. 9, 2022 – Sevilla, ES @ Sala X Sun. Apr. 10, 2022 – Alicante, ES @ Alacant Mon. Apr. 11, 2022 – Barcelona, ES @ La Nau
Tuareg quintet Imarhan announce their third studio album, Aboogi, out January 28th, 2022 on City Slang, and today presents the lead single/video “Achinkad.” The diversity, beauty, and struggles of life in Imarhan’s home city of Tamanrasset in Southern Algeria are reflected in the songs on Aboogi, the first album the band recorded on their native soil in a studio they built themselves. It features Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, plus Tinariwen’s Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni and the poet Mohamed Ag Itlale (also known as Japonais) from the Tamanrasset artistic community. Following the exhilarating Temet(2018, City Slang), this new album is as serene and open as the desert it emerged from.
Imarhan’s Aboogi Studio, named for the structures their nomadic forebears built when establishing settlements, is the first professional recording studio in their city, meant to serve the Saharan region’s community of musicians, many who’ve never had access to high-end recording gear before. It seemed only natural to also call the resulting collection of songs Aboogi, a nod to the new collective space they had established, as well as the resilience of their culture and people. “Aboogi reflects the colors of Tamanrasset, what we experience in everyday life,” says bandleader Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane, aka Sadam. “We give space to the wind and the natural energies, to the sun and the sand. We want to express their colors through music.” There is incredible warmth embedded in these steady, lilting rhythms and patiently strummed acoustic guitars, derived not just from the natural environment but from the community that surrounds them.
Imarhan’s musical world has always been expansive, based in the traditional sounds of the Tuareg people but fiercely individualistic and embracing of the many styles they encounter. On Aboogi they emerge as a truly global group, united with their collaborators in a spirit of resistance and social change. This connection is sensed in today’s “Achinkad” video, which shows the band playing music around a fire and dancers shuffling throughout a desert.
Of the song, Sadam says, “It’s a tribute to our people and to our land. The Tuaregs have been present since ancient times and they are still here, present to their land, faithful to their people, grateful to their ancestors, to their culture, and fully, heavily attached to their nature. They travel through the times and they are always here with this land part of their identity.”
The songs on Aboogi are of-today, bridging the past, often referencing ancestral texts, and the future. They address many current issues affecting Imarhan’s community, from oppressive laws to great economic disparities. “You must be in solidarity with your people at all costs, until the end,” says Sadam. The featherweight, festive music on Aboogi belies its fierce sense of conviction and justice. These complexities are what make Imarhan’s music so prescient – beauty and tranquility intermingle with strife and heartache, creating a dynamic view of life for those subjugated by over a century of colonialism and lopsided revolutions but blessed with true community, art, and culture.
Imarhan’s confirmed tour dates in Europe are listed below. Tour dates are forthcoming for the United States. Pre-order Aboogi
Imarhan Tour Dates Wed. Mar. 9, 2022 – Rennes, FR @ Théâtre L’Aire Libre Thu. Mar. 10, 2022 – Tourcoing, FR @ Grand Mix Sat. Mar. 12, 2022 – Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store Sun. Mar. 13, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Mon. Mar. 14, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tue. Mar. 15, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange Thu. Mar. 17, 2022 – London, UK @ The Dome Fri. Mar. 18, 2022 – Gent, BE @ De Centrale Sat. Mar. 19, 2022 – Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat Sun. Mar. 20, 2022 – Brussels, BE @ AB-club Mon. Mar. 21, 2022 – Den Haag, NL @ Paard Wed. Mar. 23, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Alice Thu. Mar. 24, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Badehaus Fri. Mar. 25, 2022 – Erfurt, DE @ Franz Mehlhose Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 – Genève, CH @ PTR L’Usine Tue. Mar. 29, 2022 – Lyon, FR @ Ninkasi Wed. Mar. 30, 2022 – Paris, FR @ La Gaité Lyrique Thu. Mar. 31, 2022 – Rouen, FR @ Le 106 Club Fri. Apr. 1, 2022 – Orléans, FR @ Astrolobe Sat. Apr. 2, 2022 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Connexion Mon. Apr. 4, 2022 – Valencia, ES @ 16 Toneladas Tue. Apr. 5, 2022 – Madrid, ES @ Clamores Thu. Apr. 7, 2022 – Braga, PT @ Teatro Circo Fri. Apr. 8, 2022 – Lisbon, PT @ Music Box Sat. Apr. 9, 2022 – Sevilla, ES @ Sala X Sun. Apr. 10, 2022 – Alicante, ES @ Alacant Mon. Apr. 11, 2022 – Barcelona, ES @ La Nau
