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Tinariwen have announced their 10th studio album. The eagerly awaited follow-up to 2023’s Amatssou, the 11-track Hoggar arrives on March 13th via the band’s own Wedge label.
In a press release, the record’s core is described as centering around “yearning emotion, intricate melodies, and the choral warmth of collective voices in powerful harmony.” The record also features something of a novel first, as Tinariwen lead vocalists Ibrahim Ag Alhabib and Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni sing together for the first time in some 30 years. (Both traditionally only sing on their own respective compositions.)
Press for the record further describes it as a “return to the foundations of their sound,” as the band “stake their claim as elders of this Tuareg musical tradition, going back to their early years of songwriting with acoustic guitars and communal singing around the desert campfire.” Through this “back to basics” approach, Tinariwen manage to balance “the joy of their celebrated live shows with reflections on community struggles, resilience, and cultural preservation.”
At the same time, Tinariwen seek to use Hoggar to “pass the torch onto a younger generation” as to “keep the flame of rebellion and defiance alive.” That’s evidenced by the record’s various guest appearances, including frequent collaborator Wonou Walet Sidati and José González on the song “Imidiwan Takyadam.” Other Tuareg-centric singers also contributed to the record, including Sulafa and Nounou Kaola.
Another important guest on Hoggar is Sudanese artist Sulafa Elyas, who appears on the album’s newly-released lead single, “Sagherat Assan.” This extra soulful track is actually a “traditional song carried from Sudan to the Sahara.” In a statement, Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni said that the song shares special memories with band co-founder Japonais, who passed away in 2021.
“Japonais and I were in Al Kufrah in 1989, when I was beginning to learn the guitar,” he said. “We met a musician who was playing this song and loved it so much that Japonais learned it and began performing it again and again, allowing it to travel and endure. This version features Sulafa Elyas, an extraordinary Sudanese singer and oud player now living in exile in France.”
In support of Hoggar, Tinariwen will be on tour in the UK and Europe between late April and early June. Peep the full tour schedule following the album’s artwork and tracklist.
Pre-saves for Hoggar are available now.
Hoggar Artwork:
Hoggar Tracklist:
01. Amidinim Ehaf Solan
02. Imidiwan Takyadam (featuing José González)
03. Erghad Afewo
04. Tad Adounya
05. Asstaghfero Allah
06. Sagherat Assani (featuring Sulafa Elyas)
07. N’ak Tenere Iyat
08. Amidinin Wadar Nohar
09. Khay Erilan
10. Dounia Tau Ray
11. Aba Malik
Tinariwen 2026 Tour Dates:
04/10 — Seignosse, FR @ @Le Tube
04/13 — Porto, PT @ Casa da Música
04/14 — Lisbon, PT @ Lisboa Ao Vivo
04/16 — Madrid, ES @ Sala But
04/17 — Barcelona, ES @ La Paloma
04/18 — Nîmes, FR @ Paloma
04/20 — Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
04/21 — Rome, IT @ Auditorium Parco della Musica
04/22 — Padua, IT @ Hall
04/24 — Prague, CZ @ Palác Akropolis
04/25 — Vienna, AT @ Arena
04/26 — Budapest, HU @ Akvárium Klub
04/28 — Krakow, PL @ Klub Studio
04/29 — Warsaw, PL @ Progresja
04/30 — Berlin, DE @ Huxley’s Neue Welt
05/05 — Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
05/07 — Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg
05/08 — Paris, FR @ Cirque d’Hiver
05/11 — Rennes, FR @ Le MeM
05/12 — Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini
05/13 — Bordeaux, FR @ Rocher de Palmer
05/15 — Sofia, BG @ Hall 3, NDK
05/16 — Athens, GR @ Floyd
05/18 — London, UK @ O2 Forum Kentish Town
05/19 — Gateshead, UK @ The Glasshouse
05/21 — Edinburgh, UK @ Assembly Rooms
05/22 — Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz
05/24 — Bristol, UK @ Electric Bristol
05/25 — Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre
05/27 — Copenhagen, DK @ DR Koncerthuset
05/28 — Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
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