Tantabara

One of Tal National’s many strengths is bringing people together, whether it’s a crowd of hundreds at the band’s nightclub in its home country of Niger, international audiences during world tours, or just the band members themselves. The group is a reflection of the diversity its country, representing Songhai, Fulani, Hausa and Tuareg people. Part of what draws the players and audiences together is the band’s wide-ranging genre exploration. The song “Akokas” kicks off with an electric solo that feels sliced from a post-punk song, but as the percussive beats layer in, the rhythm morphs into a lively Tuareg blues. “Belles Reines” is a breezy afropop tune with a fluttering finger-picked lead and leaping percussion. Each of these eight tracks features a different singer (seven of whom are regular band members), and the whole album is boosted by air-tight bright polyrhythms and palpable group energy. The closer, “Aminiata” is a testament to the band’s skill, with wild percussion cartwheeling alongside sing-along choruses.