Azel is the second studio album recorded in the West by Tuareg Ifoghas guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bombino (Omara Moctar) and fifth overall. It stands in sharp contrast to 2013's Nomad, produced by Dan Auerbach. The earlier album placed Bombino's signature playing style -- directly descended from the Niger master Haja Bebe and informed by Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler -- inside a mélange of lap steel guitar, vibes, and a less syncopated rhythmic framework. While the songs and jams were unmistakably Bombino's, the ...
Read More
Azel is the second studio album recorded in the West by Tuareg Ifoghas guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bombino (Omara Moctar) and fifth overall. It stands in sharp contrast to 2013's Nomad, produced by Dan Auerbach. The earlier album placed Bombino's signature playing style -- directly descended from the Niger master Haja Bebe and informed by Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler -- inside a mélange of lap steel guitar, vibes, and a less syncopated rhythmic framework. While the songs and jams were unmistakably Bombino's, the sound and arrangements reflected the producer as much as the artist. Azel was produced by the Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth, a hardcore fan. Recorded in a converted barn in Woodstock, New York, this set delivers the full range of Bombino's gifts as composer, singer, and guitarist. The only Longstreth signature is the bright, canny mix. Bombino's double-tracked guitar is framed by a crack rhythm section. But more than this, the richness in his singing voice, with all its timbral and textural gradations, is accompanied by a female voice in the soulful instrument of Mama "Mahassa" Walet Amoumine. "Akhar Zaman" kicks the set off with the stinging razor tone of Bombino's electric guitar. The syncopated refrains and celebratory circular verses are pushed and pulled between popping tom-toms and punchy basslines as the guitarist fills and punctuates the sung lines. "Iwaranagh" begins in a midtempo Saharan drone as the singer dialogues with himself. Before the first minute ends, desert blues collide with what Bombino calls "Tuareggae." The effect is electrifying, with his guitars aided by a soaring B-3 and the rhythm section moving back and forth between Caribbean rocksteady and Niger blues grooves. The single "Timtar," with its slinky Saharan folk melody, is framed by a dubwise bassline, chunky guitar, and pulsing chords. Bombino also displays his heavy side with the blowout "Iyat Ninhay/Jaguar." This is Saharan rock on stun. The snare is mixed on top of a bluesy hard rock vamp born from a Sahel folk-inspired call-and-response lyric. The drive in Bombino's electric style is appended and multiplied in his acoustic music. The longing expressed on "Igmayagh Dum," the grief and militant solidarity on "Ashuhada," and the desolate loneliness in the closing "Naqqim Dagh Timshar" (We Are Left in This Abandoned Place) are devastatingly beautiful. As a man exiled twice due to political oppression in his homeland, his expression is emotional because it is experiential. Azel is essential, not just for Bombino's growing legion of fans or even those of music from the Sahara region. It is a remarkable example of 21st century popular music. It embraces and intertwines the history of various traditions, from West African folk to blues and rock to reggae -- and expands the reach of them all. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
Read Less
Add this copy of Azel to cart. $7.40, poor condition, Sold by Movie Surplus rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Mobile, AL, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by PTKF.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Abreybom; Akhote; Alhousseyni; Moctar. Poor. Used-Acceptable, withdrawn library disc(s) with liner notes. Disc(s) should play great without any playback issues. Disc(s) & liner notes may contain typical library markings like stickers, protective label covers, & writing. Discs may be repackaged in library style casing. Back artwork & any other promo material not included.
Add this copy of Azel to cart. $8.30, fair condition, Sold by Service First Media rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Taylorsville, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by PTKF.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Ex-Library rental. Disc(s) are professionally cleaned and may contain only light scratches that do not effect functionality. Includes disc(s), case, and artwork. May be missing booklet. Disc(s), case, and artwork may contain library/security stickers and ink writing. ARTWORK IS UNORIGINAL AND PRINTED BY LIBRARY. Case and artwork may show some wear. Case may not be an original jewel case. All disc(s) are authentic.
Add this copy of Azel to cart. $12.95, very good condition, Sold by THE OREGON ROOM rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Phoenix, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Partisan Records.
Add this copy of Azel to cart. $14.00, like new condition, Sold by Streetlight_Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Cruz, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Partisan Records.
Add this copy of Azel to cart. $18.18, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2016.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Abreybom; Akhote; Alhousseyni; Moctar. New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
![Azel [LP]](https://www1.alibris-static.com/azel-lp/cover/y35238qiu0h.jpg)
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.