For twenty years, Tamikrest's music has illuminated the sounds, culture, and consciousness of the Kel Tamasheq (Tuareg) people of the Sahara. Tamikrest means "connection" or "union" in Tamasheq, and the band has become one of the most important voices of the Kel Tamasheq, channeling their experiences of exile, loss, and resistance. Their sixth studio album, Assikel, which means "journey" or "path," testifies to the band's journey. Formed in 2006 by Ousmane Ag Mossa and Cheikh Ag Tiglia, both from Tinzawaten, near the Mali-Algeria border, Tamikrest emerged under the influence of Tinariwen, the legendary pioneers of Ishumar guitar music. They now form a confirmed quartet with guitarist Paul Salvagnac, who joined the band in 2012, and percussionist Cédric 'Momo' Maurel, who arrived a year later. Assikel marks a deliberate sonic turning point, and continues the exploration of exile, uprooting, and *assouf*, that untranslatable Tamasheq word encompassing nostalgia, longing, and homesickness. The music echoes the current situation in Mali, where a junta has been in power since 2021, political opposition is banned and the media muzzled, the UN peacekeeping mission withdrew in 2023, the south of the country is under Russian control, and the exhausted population daily suffers violence perpetrated by jihadists, Malian forces, and Russian paramilitaries. It is therefore not surprising that the eight tracks on Assikel are imbued with urgency and defiance, even if there are also many quieter and more introspective moments, characteristic of the band. The instrumentation blends electric and acoustic guitars, soaring lap steel, deep dub bass, hand percussion, calabash, and full drums. The tracks, meanwhile, oscillate between Ishumar rock and roll and hypnotic folk meditations, with Ousmane's voice and storytelling talent always at the forefront. In short, music that only Tamikrest can create. Twenty years later, Tamikrest's musical and cultural role seems more essential than ever. The refined and deeply atmospheric sound of Assikel accentuates the conviction and spiritual strength of Ousmane's songwriting and the band's wonderfully melodic arrangements, and reaffirms their position as one of the most important voices of the Kel Tamasheq. The last word goes to Ousmane, and his intervention may nuance the opinion of those who would be tempted to reduce Tamikrest to a simple group of spokespeople, and to musicians only. Certainly, politics and oppression are omnipresent, but as he points out with his usual gentleness and clarity: "What motivates us today is what animated us at our beginnings: the love of music." Tamikrest is back after too long an absence, and their music resonates and vibrates louder than ever.
