One of our most eagerly anticipated releases this week is the new album from Touareg guitarist Mdou Moctar. Afrique Victime is out on Friday, and its singles "Chismiten" and "Tala Tannam" have both appeared on our weekly Songs You Need playlist over the months. The latest track from the album "Taliat" arrives today; the sounds of its freewheeling psychedelic guitar shredding and tales of romantic woe soundtrack a front seat-facing lyric video.
“'Taliat' means woman,” Moctar said in a press statement. “In our community, women are queens, they have a lot of power, that why I use the term 'taliat' to talk about them. A woman in the Tuareg community has to be protected, but she also has to be treated as equal.”
Listen to "Taliat" above. In September, Mdou Mocatr will begin a tour of the United States, and you can find those dates below.
Mdou Moctar tour dates
9/3 – Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
9/5 – Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall
9/7 – Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
9/8 – Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
9/10 – Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/11 – Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
9/12 – Boston, MA - The Sinclair
9/14 – Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
9/15 – Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
9/17 – Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
9/18 – Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
9/20 – Denver, CO - Globe Hall
9/21 – Denver, CO - Globe Hall
9/22 – Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
9/23 – Boise, ID - Treefort Music Festival
9/24 – Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
9/25 – Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
9/26 – Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
9/28 – San Francisco, CA - The Chapel
9/29 – Oakland, CA - Starline
10/01 – Pioneertown, CA - Desert Daze Pre-Party
10/02 – Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
Thumbnail photo by WH Moustapha
