Terakaft

Terakaft is a band that started in Mali by a group of Tuareg (Kel Tamasheq) musicians in the late '00s that is both stylistically and genealogically linked to the veteran desert blues band, Tinariwen through family connections and shared membership. They combine traditional Saharan music with western rock instrumentation and remain close to the local musical traditions in similar ways as opposed to pushing harder into rock or western blues like Mdou Moctar does, for instance. There is great guitar playing on display here, not only by Sanou Ag Ahmed, but also his uncle Liya Ag Ablil (aka Diara), who came from Tinariwen to join his nephews early on. The two play off of each other as they propel the music. Their songs have that earthy flavor, organic feel in the beats, bolstered by handclaps, as well as the sun worn leathery voices that sound like they could not have come from anywhere else in the world.