Product Description
The songs of Tinariwen mourn the passing of the epic golden age of the Saharan tribes, while endeavoring to map out a future for the generations who must survive beyond it and live with the modern world. Recorded with the help of solar energy in the studios of Radio Tisdas, the Tamashek station of Kidal, the new album, 'Amassakoul' immobilizes their wandering music at long last.
BBC Review
This second album by the leading Touareg desert blues band in Mali arrives at a time when many will be suffering from the winter blues. If you didn't make it to the Festival in the Desert but enjoyed the live album, you'll be happy to discover that this music has a similar power to transport you to the heats of the Sahara. There's even a studio version of the song "Aldhechen Manin" which first appeared on that wonderfully atmospheric compilation.
In the same way that the experience of displacement and disenfranchisement has produced a vibrant rebel music culture among the Saharawi people of Western Sahara, Tinariwen's roots lie in the Touareg rebellion and subsequent diaspora of Toureg people which took place after Mali's independence.
Tinariwen were the first group to adapt traditional Touareg music onto electric guitars when they began making music in 1979. They are still led by original member Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, who has the most distinctive vocal and guitar style of the current male soloists.
Four of the six other musicians represented on "Amassakoul" have joined the group since their 2001 debut "The Radio Tisdas Sessions".And this second album is a more polished and varied affair, with less massive reverb and a good deal more studio tinkering on most songs.
As before, "Amassakoul" is dominated by distinctively gentle rocking rhythms (which emulate the gait of a camel in all its moods), call and response vocals, gnarled but simple guitar lines, ululations and handclaps.
New elements include the occasional use of flute on tracks like "Alkhar Dessouf" and the closing vocal drone of "Assoul". There's also more percussive detail than before best heard on "Eh Massina Sintadoben" and the vocal patterns of "Araouane" seem to show the influence of Jamaican-style chatting or rapping.
Otherwise, this is pretty much the Tinariwen fans will know and love. The shock of the new that made their first album so appealing isn't as strong, but just as nomads never stand still, they are moving on musically. --Jon Lusk
Amassakoul 'N' Ténéré
Tinariwen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wer hi Ggrraw taKunt
Sshmara i adutan-net
Sshmara i Fad
D Tafuk
Zzayagh ad gglegh
Ar-hi- thedu tafuk
Dagh Tenere ta mallat
'Sagrawat eghaf takunt
Nak, Idaghan a da dagh uhuegh
Ssanagh da ta z' gruwegh
Ssanagh dih-a Llan aman n adghagh
S wineda imazwan
Wind' ad g'egh amidi-in
Hi taggan tinfusen-net
Taggagh-as tin-in
The song "Amassakoul 'N' Ténéré" by Tinariwen is a powerful and emotive piece of music. The Tuareg lyrics, which are sung by the band, translate to English as "Traveler of the Desert". The song is a reflection of the harsh realities of life in the Sahara, where the environment is unforgiving and life is a constant struggle. The lyrics describe the beauty of the desert and its people, as well as the hardships they face, including droughts and conflict.
The opening lines of the song, "Nak Amassakul N tenere, Wer hi Ggrraw taKunt" can be translated to mean "I am a traveler of the desert, with my camel as my companion". The song goes on to describe the blue sky above and the vastness of the desert. The next stanza describes the winds that blow across the desert and the sand that fills the air. The chorus then repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the importance of travel and the companionship of camels in the desert.
The final stanza of the song touches on the hardships of life in the desert. The lyrics describe the struggles of the Tuareg people as they try to survive in a harsh and unforgiving environment. Despite these challenges, the song remains hopeful, calling on the Tuareg people to stay strong and persevere in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Nak Amassakul N tenere
We, the people of Amassakul, belong to the desert region of Tenere
Wer hi Ggrraw taKunt
Our land is full of rocks and hills, with a thousand valleys
Sshmara i adutan-net
Our faces are covered from the desert dust
Sshmara i Fad
Our mouths are dry due to lack of water
D Tafuk
In the midst of all this, we still endure
Zzayagh ad gglegh
Oh mountains, you who stand tall
Ar-hi- thedu tafuk
We ask for your strength to endure
Dagh Tenere ta mallat
In the Tenere desert, there is no water
'Sagrawat eghaf takunt
Only the strong can endure the harshness of the desert
Nak, Idaghan a da dagh uhuegh
We, the Tuareg people, are a proud and strong people
Ssanagh da ta z' gruwegh
We will always stand tall and maintain our dignity
Ssanagh dih-a Llan aman n adghagh
We carry the traditions of our ancestors with us
S wineda imazwan
We are the sons of the desert
Wind' ad g'egh amidi-in
We will never be defeated, we will always endure
Hi taggan tinfusen-net
Even when we are lost, we have the stars to guide us
Taggagh-as tin-in
We will always find our way home
Contributed by Natalie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.