The modern sounds of Tuareg artist Mdou Moctar create a swirl of tones that draw your attention and pull you in like a tractor beam. There’s just something mesmerizing in how the songs are constructed, flowing and full of a lively presence. With a new album Afrique Victime coming in May, Mdou Moctar has shared a live version of his song “Tala Tannam.” Taken from a string of accidental three-night shows in Niamey, Niger in 2020, the video shows the power of the band and the intensity of the audience.

The immediate thing you notice is the abilities of the band to bring the song to life. The speed and intensity in how they approach the song is a masterful example of artists at the top of their game. The makeshift stage on the ground outside provides the perfect backdrop for the elemental tones of the song. There’s an energy here that you don’t get from many genres, however it comes across in waves as the song is performed. There’s a bit of a devil may care feel to the performance of just going with it and performing wherever. The power of the music is what you walk away with here and the guitarist and his band deliver from beginning to end.

The video is ready to watch above or on YouTube. Afrique Victime is available for preorder directly from Matador Records in various formats and bundles ahead of its May 21 release.

Image Credits: Photo by WH Moustapha.