Genre:World
Noura Mint Seymali is the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's defining artist on the international stage. Drawing deep on the timeless repertoire of the Moorish griot, a hereditary class of musical poet / historians, her band conjures "a full blown sandstorm of hypnotic grooves, melding traditional Mauritanian instruments, like the ardine and tidinite, within an electrified psychedelic rock band.” - The Quietus (UK). Its debut album - TZENNI (Glitterbeat, 2014) - was hailed as "arguably the best psych / blues album of the year" by Vice/Noisey and charted at #1 on Wold Music Charts Europe. Expanding a sound born of Arab and Sub-Saharan roots, Noura Mint Seymali bends the arc of Moorish musical tradition to fit our contemporary moment, as described by NPR, “the arrival of Mauritanian vocalist Noura Mint Seymali in front of Western audiences feels like the start of a new era.” Recognized at African Union's first-ever AFRIMA awards, Noura Mint Seymali was named "Best Female Artist from North Africa." "gutsy, declamatory playing and singing...Impressive." - The Guardian (UK)“Seymali and her group are impeccable, a riot of traditional Mauritanian music and psychedelic rock...some of the most life-affirming scenes to ever grace a festival of experimental music” - The Wire (UK)