Tamikrest
Mali group Tamikrest is coming back to Nijmegen. Led by singer and vocalist Ousmane Ag Mossa, the band offers an exciting and engaging sound. The meaning of the word Tamikrest is connection, which is very fitting as five of the group’s members come from five different parts of the world.
Musically, Tamikrest offers heavy bass tones, mesmerizing vocals and repetitive guitar riffs with echoes of dub, blues, funk and folk. Their music is a tribute to the Touareg identity, following the rhythm of the dromedary note for note. Their lyrics are tormented, longing for freedom and independence.
The Touareg tribe that has been crossing the Sahara for generations, has produced tons of great music. The most well-known of these include Tinariwen, Bombin and Mdou Moctar, although Tamikrest is definitely highly regarded as well. When they were touring in 2011, war broke out in their home country of Mali, which kept them from returning. They decided to go out on tour instead. So while Mali entered a dark age, Tamikrest was becoming a well-known fixture throughout Europe. In 2023 their latest album “Tamotaït” (hope) came out, once again with a political message that channels hope.
