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Agrim Agadez LP - Sahel Sounds

Sahel Sounds

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Totally captivating desert blues from Niger, recorded in various locations, with one mic and a whole lot of ambience -


Some of you may remember that excellent 'guitar is my best friend' DIY tape that we had on sale here in the early days of this store?
Strong memories are coming back to us when listening to this record -
presenting us with higher fidelity manifestations of the amazing talent that calmly resides in the desert villages, wedding ceremonies and backyards of Niger.

Agrim Agadez is a compilation of contemporary field recordings of guitar music from the Sahelian empire of Niger. Focusing on guitar music throughout the country, from meditative starlight ballads, fuzzy Hendrix covers, rag tag wedding bands, to political minded folk guitarists. A beautiful encapsulation of the diversity of guitar as it exists today, recorded over years of travels.

Like most of the Sahel, the guitar is found in every corner of Niger. Whether acoustic, electric, or built by hand, guitars are highly prized possessions and continue to inspire. Every corner of Niger has particular languages, customs, and cultures, and each corner has taken the instrument and transformed it in its own special way: from bar bands of the southern Hausa land, pastoral flock owning village autodidacts, rag-tag DIY wedding rock musicians, to political minded folk guitarists.

Agrim Agadez follows the sounds overheard playing on cassettes, seeking out the once legendary local heroes in their hometowns, and stumbling upon musicians in accidental chance encounters. The resulting record is a document of the guitar as it's heard, experienced in the open air studios of Niger with a single microphone - with backdrops of children's voices, crickets, and village ambience.

With 16 page full colour liner notes.

1. Fatou Seidi Ghali - "Migrid Noulhawan"
2. Etran De L'Air - "Iban Mano D'Ikhya"
3. Mdou Moctar - "Adounia Tiyoun"
4. Mohamed Karzo - "C'est La Vie"
5. Azna De L'Ader - "Hey Joe"
Side 2
1. John Safokoley - "Anashua"
2. Etran De L'Air - "Agrim Agadez"
3. Kel Tangawal - "Yayela"
4. Ahmed Ag Kaedi - "Imouhagh Siwlat"
5. Amaria Hamadalher - "Bahouche"


Fatou Seidi Ghali - "Migrid Noulhawan"



Mdou Moctar - "Adounia Tiyoun"



Etran De L'Air - "Agrim Agadez"



Kel Tangawal - "Yayela"