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Credit: Mdou Moctar
Mdou Moctar release new EP ‘Niger EP Vol 1’
Back in 2021, Mdou Moctar returned in scintillating style with the epic Afrique Victime. It was a record that saw them push their unique Tuareg sound into touches of psychedelia and flashes of technological colour.
Now, they have returned with a new EP titled, Niger EP Vol 1. t features a drum-machine version of Afrique Victime song ‘Chismiten’ and previously unreleased 13-min epic guitar and drum machine jam ‘Imouhar’, as well as 4 live versions of songs from across Moctar’s catalogue, all recorded in his native country Niger.
Speaking about the EP, Producer and bass player Mikey Coltun said: “In 2021, we started the Mdou Moctar mixtape series. These releases compiled field recordings, cellphone voice memos, interview clips, conversations captured in the tour van, and blown-out board recordings from shows all over the world.”
That roving tour bled into the new alluring EP. As Coltun explains: “As a continuation of those mixtapes, we present the Niger EPs, which examine the roots of the Mdou Moctar band. Early Mdou recordings were contained on cassettes, though the humble tape was soon replaced by the quick and easy facility of cellphone technology.”
In this sense, the EP is a mini road album, perfect for the road. “Long bus rides are common in West Africa. On one of these rides, you might be seated next to a stranger and ask, ‘What are you listening to?’ Then a song exchange would begin over Bluetooth. This is a very real way artists found their music distributed far from home,” Coltun recalls.
Concluding: “In that vein, the Niger EP series features solely recordings taped in Mdou Moctar’s home country of Niger. Volume 1 begins the series with a mix of recordings from 2017-2020, documenting the band at weddings, picnics, rehearsals, and even impromptu house concerts. A must-have for any Mdou Moctar fan!”
This innovative album captures the definitive tenets of the band. And it’s available to check out below. The band are also currently embarking on their North American tour, so lets see what magic they can whisk up from that road experience.
You can check out the unique version of ‘Chismiten’ below.
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