Hailing from Niger, four-piece Bombino are living proof that the blues idiom is a truly international genre, and the description "desert blues" couldn't be more appropriate. Led by Tuareg guitarist Omara "Bombino" Moctar, this is a high-energy outfit who wowed the crowds recently at this year's Womad in Taranaki.
First impressions on opening track Amidinine suggest Mr Bombino could match it with the riffmaster himself, Keith Richards, with a fluent and insistent melody line driven by a top-class riff.
Not being fluent in the local French-based dialect is no disadvantage because it's the music that matters. Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach on board as producer has paid dividends -- the album flows and the end result is a mix that has both an African essence and a blues-related relevance that is hypnotic and entrancing.
Nomad is available in New Zealand via the Nonesuch label, released locally by Warner Music.
Bombino's brand of desert blues is well worth the listen.
