This is the third album from this Tamashek group and, in terms of production values, its strongest disc. Producer Justin Adams, who produced Tinariwen's 2006 album, "Amassakoul," returned to helm this project. The sound remains as sparse as the desert that fostered these musicians, but there's a weight and clarity to the mix that adds an attractive gravity to the Tinariwen vibe. The music remains mesmerizing and the performance, though not impromptu, has a loose feel that's very much a desirable aspect of their sound. The opening track, "Cler Achel," a song of exile all too familiar to the Toureg people, rocks most beautifully. The tune "Tamatant Tilay," written by Alhassane Ag Touhami, one of the founding members of Tinariwen, works a fierce groove, while "Assouf" is nothing less than a great rock number.

—Philip Van Vleck