The Grammy-winning Tinariwen collective has unveiled their captivating new single, “Anemouhagh,” from their upcoming album, Amatssou, which will be released on Wedge next Friday, May 19. The lead single “Tenere Den,” which The FADER praised as “a continuation of both the desert blues sound they pioneered and the revolutionary message they’ve always held close,” and “Anemouhagh,” continues Tinariwen’s electric trail of singles and provide yet another enthralling look into Amatssou. Tinariwen will set out on its first US tour since 2019 later this month. The tour will start on May 27 at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music and include stops in Los Angeles, New York, and other cities. The complete schedule is below, and tickets are currently available.

The Tuareg people’s way of life, which is in harmony with the natural world but is now more threatened than ever, has been represented for decades by Tinariwen. Tinariwen set out to examine the shared sensibilities between their distinctive desert blues and the vibrant country music of rural America throughout Amatssou, the legendary collective’s ninth studio album. Amatssou finds Tinariwen’s distinctive snaking guitar lines and hypnotic grooves seamlessly coexisting with banjos, fiddles, and pedal steel. The album was recorded in Djanet, an oasis in the desert of southern Algeria located in Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, with additional production on two tracks by Daniel Lanois (Brian Eno, U2, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson).

For many years, Tinariwen has served as a representative for the Tuareg people and their environmentally conscious way of life, which is now more vulnerable than ever. The legendary collective’s ninth studio album, Amatssou, finds Tinariwen attempting to delve into the shared hough. The songs of Amatssou speak to the current and frequently difficult reality of Tuareg’s life today. Tuareg culture is as ancient as that of ancient Greece or Rome. Naturally, references to Mali’s ongoing political and social unrest are made with passion.

Tinariwen Tour Dates
Sat. May 27 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
Tue. May 30 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Wed. May 31 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox
Fri. June 2 – Berkeley, CA @ UC Theater
Sat. June 3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater
Mon. June 5 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Tue. June 6 – Boston, MA @ Sinclair
Wed. June 7 – Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
Sat. June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival
Mon. June 12 – Rubigen, CH @ Muhle Hunziken
Wed. June 14 – Florence, IT @Ultravox
Thu. June 15 – Milan, IT @ Triennale Garden
Fri. June 16 – Turin, IT @ Hiroshima Mon Amour
Sun. June 18 – Dublin, IE @ Body & Soul Festival
Thu. June 22 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
Sat. June 24 – Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
Mon. 26 – Lille, FR @ Splendid
Wed. June 28 – Paris, FR @ Salle Pleyel
Thu. June 29 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
Sat. July 1 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Sun. July 2 – Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyran
Tue. July 4 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller
Fri. July 7 – Bilbao, ES @ BBK Live Festival
Tue. July 11 – Arles, FR @ Les Suds Arles
Thu. July 13 – London, UK @ Somerset House
Sat. July 15 – Bristol, UK @ SWX
Mon. July 17 – Glasgow, UK @ St Lukes
Wed. July 19 – Bermingham, UK @ Institute 2
Sat. July 22 – Cheshire, UK @ Bluedot Festival
Tue. 25 – Vigo, SP @ Terraceo Festival
Sat. July 29 – Luxey, FR @ Musicalarue Festival