The blues music of the Sahara Desert in Northern Africa has slowly emerged as a popular music genre globally; bands like Terakaft hold the flagpole for the guitar-led cyclical trance style. Having branched off the original Tinariwen collective, Terakaft have released seven albums of Tuareg rebel rock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOoOr4k1fLQ

The Tuaregs live in contested geopolitics across the Northern parts of West Africa and their music reflects the turmoil. With songs of solidarity, yearning, and calls for peace, the extra distortion characteristic to Terakaft adds their rock’n’roll taste to the genre.

The style includes male harmonies, calabash drums (a hollow shell that’s beaten with a closed fist) and many ‘Hendrix’-style guitar riffs – in fact, seemingly endless guitar riffs that never fail to impress audiences.

To see Tuareg’s music live is fully immersive and moving, and it’s irresistible to clap along with the beats.

Terakaft will play at the Oslo Hackney on 24th April where their rhythm is sure to resonate.

London Gig Guide (April 2019)

At times, we are the first to lose track of how many exciting music events happen in London each month, so we have decided to offer you some sort of “public musical service”, meant for all the locals and passers-by, with the aim of suggesting where to listen to some…

Artists: Awalé , Brother Culture , Calibro 35 , Gerald Toto , Hailu Mergia , Horseman , K.o.g And The Zongo Brigade , Kokoko! , Koral Society , Krar Collective , Lafawndah , Midori Takada , Oumou Sangare , Prince Fatty , Psychedelia , Que Vola? , Soom T , Steam Down , Terakaft , The Heliocentrics , The West African Blue Project , Yelfris Valdes

Interview: Terakaft

It is a big step from the Sahara desert to the urban jungle of London, but Terakaft seemed comfortably at home within the walls of Rich Mix, where they presented their new album ‘Ténéré’ (Alone). Just a couple of hours before the gig we met Liya Ag Ablil, the band’s…

Artists: Terakaft