Etran de L’Aïr

Etran de L’Aïr is a band of three brothers and a rotating team of members on drums and percussion, all of whom are also part of the family. They are based in Agadez in Niger and play the music of the Sahara desert with all its slinky guitars and syncopated rhythms. Their songs have the features of the desert blues genre that western ears must be familiar with by now. It has the rolling quick riffs at the high end that repeating the melodic theme, the bouncy beat on the drums or djembe, and call and response vocals that approach chanting, all of which induce an upbeat hypnotic state in a way. The band has been playing together locally at wedding parties and other occasions since 1995, and their familiarity with one another as well as the joyous vibes they tap into can be felt throughout their work.