Imidiwan: Companions
2009 studio album by Tinariwen
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Imidiwan: Companions, released 29 June 2009, is the fourth studio album by Tuareg band Tinariwen. The album saw the band reunite with Jean-Paul Romann, the producer of their 2001 album The Radio Tisdas Sessions.[12] Some editions of the album include a DVD featuring a 30-minute documentary about the band.[2]
| Imidiwan: Companions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 29 June 2009 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Independiente | |||
| Tinariwen chronology | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Clash | 8/10[3] |
| Cokemachineglow | 79%[4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[5] |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| musicOMH | [7] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[8] |
| PopMatters | 8/10[9] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
| Spin | [11] |
Themes
Joe Tangari of Pitchfork discussed how the band experienced much of the world outside the desert and how it has influenced the new direction of this album.[13] He said "lyrically the songs, sung in Tamashek, visit themes of liberation and cultural-historical pride".[13] Later he stated that it contains assuf "an untranslatable word with implications of homesickness, loneliness, and sadness; it also refers to the nighttime world beyond the light of the campfire."[13]
Critical reception
The album received generally positive reviews. The Guardian gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying "Tinariwen just keep on keepin' on, relentless and brilliant as the Saharan sun."[6] The Daily Telegraph also gave the album 4 stars, saying that the band are "...the nearest thing the modern world provides to a real blues feel."[14]
Imidiwan also won the 2009 Uncut Music Award for being "the most inspiring and richly rewarding album of the last 12 months".[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Imidiwan Afrik Tendam" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 3:32 |
| 2. | "Lulla" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 3:49 |
| 3. | "Tenhert" | Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni | 5:28 |
| 4. | "Enseqi Ehad Didagh" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 5:40 |
| 5. | "Tahult In" | Alhassane Ag Touhami | 4:10 |
| 6. | "Tamudjeras Assis" | Mohammed Ag Itlale ("Japonais") | 4:51 |
| 7. | "Intitlayaghen" | Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni | 4:49 |
| 8. | "Imazaghen N Adagh" | Abdallah Ag Lamida ("Intidao") | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Tenalle Chegret" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 5:43 |
| 10. | "Kel Tamashek" | Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni | 3:16 |
| 11. | "Assuf Ag Assuf" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 4:54 |
| 12. | "Chabiba" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 3:21 |
| 13. | "Ere Tasfata Adounia" | Alhassane Ag Touhami | 4:53 |
| 14. | "Desert Wind" | Ibrahim Ag Alhabib | 4:19 |
Note: "Desert Wind," an instrumental, was included as a bonus track in some editions of the album.
Personnel
All information from album liner notes.[16]
- Ibrahim Ag Alhabib – lead vocals and lead guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9, 11, 12), backing vocals (track 10), other instruments (track 14)
- Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni – lead vocals and lead guitar (tracks 3, 7, 10)
- Alhassane Ag Touhami – lead vocals and lead guitar (tracks 5, 13), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 12)
- Mohammed Ag Itlale ("Japonais") – lead vocals and lead guitar (track 6), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4)
- Abdallah Ag Lamida ("Intidao") – lead vocals and lead guitar (track 8), guitar (tracks 1, 3, 12), backing vocals (tracks 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13)
- Eyadou Ag Leche – bass (all tracks except 10, 11, 14), guitar (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 13), backing vocals (tracks 5, 6, 8, 9, 13), percussion (tracks 3, 6, 7, 8, 13)
- Elaga Ag Hamid – guitar (all tracks except 7, 10, 14), backing vocals (tracks 1, 13), percussion (track 5)
- Said Ag Ayad – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13)
- Liya Ag Ablil ("Diara") – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 12, 13)
- Sanou Ag Ahmed – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9, 12), guitar (tracks 8, 12), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8)
- Fatma – percussion (track 1), backing vocals (tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13)
- Mohammed – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13), backing vocals (track 12)
- Matthieu Rousseau – percussion (all tracks except 8, 10, 14)
- Tende of Tessalit – percussion (track 10)
- Wounou Walet Sidati – backing vocals (tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13)
- Dayasso – backing vocals (tracks 2, 4, 12)
- Aroun – backing vocals (tracks 1, 9)
- Baka – backing vocals (track 2)
- Moustapha – backing vocals (track 2)
- Abdallah – backing vocals (track 2)
- Ousman, Al Hassan, Fatimata – children's vocals (track 1)