When the time came to record this new album, the ongoing crisis in Mali forced Tinariwen's Tuareg musical nomads to swap the familiar desert skies and sands of the Sahara for the Mojave. Regardless of the geography behind Emmaar, Tinariwen continue to explore the same issues and concerns in much the same fashion as before. That's good news for fans of their sparse, raw guitarlines and mesmerising blues. As with their previous album, there are plenty of special guests onboard – Saul Williams, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, Matt Sweeney and Nashville fiddler Fats Kaplin. But the real enjoyment comes in wrapping yourself in the spacey sounds and hypnotic guitars. Tinariwen's sound is both sultry and gritty, allowing tracks such as Sendad Eghlalan and Timadrit in Sahara to create evocative sketches in your mind. tinariwen.com
Download: Sendad Eghlalan, Timadrit In Sahara