Albums to watch

Afrique Victime

Mdou Moctar

Afrique Victime

Sixth full-length album from the Tuareg guitarist is his first for the Matador Records

ADM rating[?]

8.2

Label
Matador
UK Release date
14/05/2021
US Release date
14/05/2021
  1. 9.0 |   Uncut

    An exhilarating band set that mixes electric and acoustic instrumentation, it’s at once fiercely modern and as ancient as the Niger river
    Read Review

  2. 9.0 |   Exclaim

    He and his band are making truly tremendous guitar rock in a manner that is peerless in this era, and from anywhere on the globe
    Read Review

  3. 9.0 |   musicOMH

    If Afrique Victime tells us anything, it’s that Mdou Moctar’s fire and passion are drawn from his homeland. The results are staggering
    Read Review

  4. 9.0 |   Crack

    Remaining as focused as ever on the issues blighting his homeland, Afrique Victime elevates and reshapes one of the continent’s most exciting genres
    Read Review

  5. 9.0 |   Paste Magazine

    Billed as a Saharan shredder, Moctar showcases his impeccable grace on his second full-band album
    Read Review

  6. 8.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    At long last capturing on wax the full range of his talent, Mdou Moctar crafts the first great guitar album of the ‘20s with this urgent, incandescent roar of desert rock
    Read Review

  7. 8.4 |   Pitchfork

    The Tuareg guitarist and his bandmates deliver the fullest picture of his gifts yet. Recorded piecemeal during tour breaks, the album captures the group’s easy chemistry and explosive energy
    Read Review

  8. 8.1 |   Beats Per Minute

    No matter what walks of life we come from, there’s legitimate emotion attached to Mdou Moctar’s music, and it should shake any living, breathing being right to their core
    Read Review

  9. 8.0 |   Under The Radar

    As it becomes safe to go out again, seeing these songs live should be as early a priority as is reasonable. Until then, as we tiptoe into the restrictions-easing summer, Afrique Victime should absolutely be the backyard BBQ blaster for any discriminating listener
    Read Review

  10. 8.0 |   Mojo

    From the gentle breeze of the Tala Tannam to the howling gale of lead single Chismiten, the little clumps of ambient sound - village chatter, footsteps, maybe a cockerel - hold their ground against every new gust of virtuoso fretwork. Print edition only

  11. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Each song on the Tuareg singer and guitarist’s latest progresses in its own unique way
    Read Review

  12. 8.0 |   The Arts Desk

    The production enhances the sound of Moctar’s guitar pyrotechnics with just the right amount of reverb
    Read Review

  13. 8.0 |   All Music

    Dynamic, but well-balanced, this collection is perhaps the most conclusive example of Moctar's multidimensional talents to date
    Read Review

  14. 8.0 |   The FT

    The artist is from a generation of Tuareg musicians inspired by desert blues pioneers
    Read Review

  15. 8.0 |   The Observer

    The Nigerian guitarist and band sizzle on a deeply satisfying album that pays unusual homage to his early career
    Read Review

  16. 8.0 |   The Music

    Moctar’s music feels fresher than ever and is genuinely innovative
    Read Review

  17. 8.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    These kaleidoscopic compositions, both tender and tenacious in tone, are inspiring and rejuvenating
    Read Review

  18. 8.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    On Afrique Victime, Mdou Moctar and his band are the true sound of youth resistance
    Read Review

  19. 7.0 |   Clash

    Here's a talent who, through sheer will, has managed to condense the sound of his culture, meld it to western rock and showcase it to the entire world. We can't wait to catch these melodies live
    Read Review

  20. 7.0 |   Northern Transmissions

    Moctar delivers some epic crunging, ripping it up with a rapid-fire run of pull-offs before vigorously swiping his palms across his pickups


blog comments powered by Disqus

Watch it

Roll over video for more options

Hear it

Latest Reviews

More reviews