05 Afrique Victime Mdou Moctar (2021)
Desert blues with the spirit of Jimi
Although blues evolved in 19th Century America, its roots are in Africa. Enslaved people brought their musical traditions with them when they were transported to America. Musical traditions from across the continent combined and evolved into the blues. Afrique Victime sees the next stage of that evolution, as Niger’s Mdou Moctar combines electric blues tones and phrasing with the rhythms and harmony of Tuareg berber music. The resulting ‘desert blues’ is psychedelic and mesmerising. The propulsive rhythms underneath clearly inspire Moctar’s freewheeling improvisation.
It’s not just the fusion of styles that are rarely heard together: Moctar’s technique is original by itself. He doesn’t use a plectrum, picking almost exclusively with his index finger. On his alternatepicked runs, he catches the string with his nail on the downstroke and flesh on the upstroke, creating contrasting tones. He also plays overhand surprisingly often, which is partly showboating but also creates wild bends and chaotic runs. He taps with his fretting hand while sliding down the neck, producing almost random sequences comparable to Joe Satriani’s robot impressions.
Some of Moctar’s sound is familiar – Hendrix is an obvious reference – but there’s also the excitement of hearing something genuinely innovative. There’s the tangible excitement of musicians who know they’re breaking new ground, too. “I want to keep the sound as a very traditional sound. Because if you listen to my guitar, how I touch the guitar, it is so different,” he told TG. “It is very traditional; it’s not guitar! It is… Something!”