Mdou Moctar returns with the tour-de-force title track from his new album Afrique Victime, out May 21st on Matador Records / Remote Control Records.
“The wind born in Tunisia spread all over Arabia / Africa is a victim of so many crimes / If we stay silent it will be the end of us / Why is this happening?” sings Moctar on the heartfelt yet defiantly incandescent seven-and-a-half-minute rallying cry as it traverses mournful chanting, hypnotically propulsive groove and an interstellar coda of Moctar’s sky-bound guitar work. The accompanying video for the radio edit of the track was filmed in Niamey, the capital of Niger, where the band briefly convened in November for a set of impromptu performances.
Says Moctar: “‘Afrique Victime’ is a message to all of the countries with money and power who come into Africa and kill the leaders who try to empower the people and lead revolutions. This pushes the area into danger and instability and emboldens the terrorists, and it’s the people who suffer and have no justice. Africa is innocent. The French use our uranium, but 90% of the people here don’t have electricity. Imagine.”
Moctar recently made a special guest appearance on Off White’s Imaginary TV channel, helmed by designer Virgil Abloh – watch the solo performance HERE.
In addition to vinyl, CD, picture disk and digital formats, the Afrique Victime album will be available as a special and limited cellphone edition. Hearkening back to the way Moctar’s music originally spread and proliferated across the Sahara via word-of-mouth Bluetooth mobile phone swaps, this collector’s edition of Afrique Victime arrives pre-loaded onto a classic Nokia 6120 handset and specially mastered for it. Pre-order HERE.
On Friday April 23rd, guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar will broadcast a live streamed concert, Mdou Moctar – Live in Niamey, Niger. Filmed late last year, the set features Moctar’s full band including Mikey Coltun (bass + production), Ahmoudou Madassane (guitar) and Souleymane Ibrahim (drums). The concert will stream via Bandcamp Live and will launch at 10AM AEST – a replay will remain available for 24 hours for global audiences to view. Tickets now on sale via Bandcamp.
