Matador Records have announced that they will release Afrique Victime, the long-awaited new album by Mdou Moctar on 21 May. The announcement is accompanied by a video for album single Tala Tannam, a largely unplugged and more relaxed delivery when compared alongside their more energetic numbers such as album opener Chismiten on which frontman Mahamadou ‘Mdou Moctar’ Souleymane gets into full desert-rock mode. Here he takes it down several graceful notches to deliver a love song which translates as “your tears”.
My love no matter where I go, you’re always on my mind
I treasure you
You know I never want to see you in tears
The clip was filmed in Niamey, Niger last year when bassist Mikey Coltun made the long journey to meet his bandmates and begin prep for the album’s release. “While the song talks about love, we wanted to show the love between friendships and the love of Niger,” says Coltun. “The video includes friends and family –in the Tuareg community in villages around Niamey as well as Hausa people from villages in the Dosso region.”
Afrique Victimeis now available for pre-order on LP, CD, and also on a limited-edition cell phone that arrives pre-loaded with the record.
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Photo Credit: WH Moustapha