some damn fine music from Mauritania
February 4, 2015 7:20 PM Subscribe
Have you heard Noura Mint Seymali? She's a singer from Mauritania, and neither she nor her band pull any punches. Just fire up "Eguetmar", the first track on her album Tzenni, and dig that gritty, undulating electric guitar: Mauritanian through and through, but reminiscent of the blues and/or psychedelic stylings of the 60s, in just the right way. Then there's the beats: drumming so funky and syncopated, but in such a languidly relaxed way, that it harkens back to the way Ziggy Modeliste worked his drum magic with New Orleans funk legends the Meters. And, of course, Noura's voice: a bold, soaring and self-assured force of nature: stunning. Not to mention her masterful playing of the ardine, a 9-string Mauritanian harp providing delicate, spindly showers of notes that shimmer like droplets on a spider web. Please enjoy: Tzenni.
Absafbuatastic music!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 7:44 PM on February 4, 2015
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 7:44 PM on February 4, 2015
Hot damn this is good.
To paraphrase Snoop Dogg: "Lay back in the cut like she told yo ass, Giver the microphone and let her hit ya with a blast"
posted by mannequito at 7:50 PM on February 4, 2015
To paraphrase Snoop Dogg: "Lay back in the cut like she told yo ass, Giver the microphone and let her hit ya with a blast"
posted by mannequito at 7:50 PM on February 4, 2015
Nice to see African musicians starting to learn the blues and a bit of funky drumming. You're welcome, Africa!
seriously though this is one hell of an album, thanks for the heads up
posted by uosuaq at 7:51 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
seriously though this is one hell of an album, thanks for the heads up
posted by uosuaq at 7:51 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Wow. The teaser SLYT is a good intro at least with moving pictures of the instruments.
posted by njohnson23 at 8:11 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by njohnson23 at 8:11 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm literally only a minute in and goddamn.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:23 PM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:23 PM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
Blown away by the very first track on "Tzenni". Thanks for this, flapjax!
posted by Songdog at 8:53 PM on February 4, 2015
posted by Songdog at 8:53 PM on February 4, 2015
This is fucking good.
I just wanted to drop in and share a link to the live performance on WFMU where I first heard her (big shout out to Rob Weisberg and Transpacific Sound Paradise, who/which has hipped me to so much great music it's not even funny), and also to mention that the album is actually on Spotify. If you listen to it there, the sound quality is much better and also she/her record company will get paid for the streaming. It's fractions of pennies of course, but still.
posted by Mothlight at 8:53 PM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
I just wanted to drop in and share a link to the live performance on WFMU where I first heard her (big shout out to Rob Weisberg and Transpacific Sound Paradise, who/which has hipped me to so much great music it's not even funny), and also to mention that the album is actually on Spotify. If you listen to it there, the sound quality is much better and also she/her record company will get paid for the streaming. It's fractions of pennies of course, but still.
posted by Mothlight at 8:53 PM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
Wow. It just keeps getting better. I feel like my brain is infinitely circling in on itself.
posted by downtohisturtles at 9:19 PM on February 4, 2015
posted by downtohisturtles at 9:19 PM on February 4, 2015
Yeah, jaw-dropping.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:24 PM on February 4, 2015
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:24 PM on February 4, 2015
oh my god this is good.
anyone who likes this should also check out Group Doueh. Who are from Western Sahara, a disputed region just north of Mauritania.
this is really excellent. so happy to learn about it.
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 9:30 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
anyone who likes this should also check out Group Doueh. Who are from Western Sahara, a disputed region just north of Mauritania.
this is really excellent. so happy to learn about it.
posted by Conrad-Casserole at 9:30 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Damn, this got the ol’ music bone going. Hits the spot!
Thanks Flapjax.
posted by quazichimp at 10:34 PM on February 4, 2015
Thanks Flapjax.
posted by quazichimp at 10:34 PM on February 4, 2015
Awesome! Went straight to emusic to download. For those with subscriptions, the album is available there to download for $4.90.
posted by yasaman at 10:51 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by yasaman at 10:51 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tzenni was included on the NPR Songs We Love 2014 playlist, which I highly recommend to anyone who has not yet given it a spin.
posted by Svejk at 1:02 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Svejk at 1:02 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
anyone who likes this should also check out Group Doueh . Who are from Western Sahara, a disputed region just north of Mauritania.
Indeed, they were previouslyed, if only just. Group Inerane kicks ass in a similar vein. Can't get enough of that fuzz-toned desert guitar!
Oh and yeah, this here, this is f'in great. Thanks again, as always, flapjax!
posted by hap_hazard at 2:02 AM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Indeed, they were previouslyed, if only just. Group Inerane kicks ass in a similar vein. Can't get enough of that fuzz-toned desert guitar!
Oh and yeah, this here, this is f'in great. Thanks again, as always, flapjax!
posted by hap_hazard at 2:02 AM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
This is nothing short of amazing, and makes my day a much better thing already. Can't wait to buy this, go home, open all the windows, put it on and do a bit of cleaning. While dancing around the place in transports of delight. Many thanks.
posted by El Brendano at 2:32 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by El Brendano at 2:32 AM on February 5, 2015
i've been observing/lurking/learning on metafilter for years and rarely feel the need to add my two cents to the conversation. i'm content to listen and y'all are doing such a great job already. in the case of this post i feel compelled to express my gratitude for such an amazing musical introduction. arigato flapjax.
posted by kinfish at 3:27 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kinfish at 3:27 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
It so happens I have ! :o
I heard a cut on Arfropop Worldwide a month or so ago, and actually stopped the car to write down the name, and then searched on line to find a source. I ordered the CD from an outfit in Germany called Glitterhouse ( fabulous catalog,well worth a look). have listened to it about 20 times. Cheers!
posted by Abinadab at 5:10 AM on February 5, 2015
I heard a cut on Arfropop Worldwide a month or so ago, and actually stopped the car to write down the name, and then searched on line to find a source. I ordered the CD from an outfit in Germany called Glitterhouse ( fabulous catalog,well worth a look). have listened to it about 20 times. Cheers!
posted by Abinadab at 5:10 AM on February 5, 2015
This is astonishing! Thank you so much for posting this!
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 5:59 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 5:59 AM on February 5, 2015
It's really gratifying to read these enthusiastic comments, y'all: makes me really happy I could turn you on to something new. Thanks for taking the time to pop in and say so!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:12 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:12 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Holy shit, thanks for this, flapjax!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:39 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:39 AM on February 5, 2015
I listen to RIT radio (WITR 89.7 Henrietta NY) while I'm working and they've been spinning the title track of this album a lot lately. I love it. Reminds me a lot of Selda Bagcan.
posted by capricorn at 10:33 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by capricorn at 10:33 AM on February 5, 2015
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posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:23 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]