Song of the Day: Bombino - Akhar Zaman (This Moment)

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is "Akhar Zaman (This Moment)" by Bombino from his 2016 album, Azel, on Partisan Records.

Bombino - Akhar Zaman (This Moment) (MP3)

In Western culture, people often think of guitar playing as a form of rebellion, but elsewhere in the world it can be a matter of life and death, a true rallying cry for liberty and unity. In Mali, Libya and Niger, and particular, and among the Tuareg communities, and for artists like Bombino, music can be literally dangerous. Born Omara Moctar in the Nigerian desert town of Agadez, Bombino himself fled Nigeria twice in his life during multiple Tuareg rebellions, the second time fearing for his own safety after seeing fellow musicians executed by the government. Lately, the situation in Niger has calmed enough for him to return home and perform, and he's just released his third studio album, Azel. His previous LP, 2013's Nomad, produced by Dan Auerbach, focused primarily on Bombino's expansive, guitar-driving desert blues, and was influenced by other African artists like Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré and by his Western heroes like Jimi Hendrix, Mark Knopfler and Santana. This time, on Azel, Bombino has tapped Dave Longstreth of Dirty Projectors to produce a newer sound, for him and for modern Tuareg music overall, which blends reggae rhythms with his bluesy rock melodies. "Akhar Zaman" is today's featured song and kicks the album off with a new "Tuareggae" style. On it, Bombino hooks his serrating guitar riffs around a driving yet offbeat riddim, creating a more joyous celebration of "This Moment", as the song title translates.

Bombino just finished a US tour to support Azel and was in town at the end of April. He and the band will return Stateside for a few festivals later this year, but right now you'll find them in Europe. Fortunately for you, we recorded a terrific session with them in-studio at KEXP and will release the video of their performance soon. For now, keep up with Bombino on his website and Facebook page, and check out this acoustic version of "Inar", recorded while they were in the studio with Dave Longstreth: