Tinariwen, whose name means ‘empty places' in their native language of Tamashek, hail from the nomadic tribes of the Western Sahara. As members of the Tuareg tribe, their music symbiotically linked to their people's fight for independence from the government of Mali.

It is said that the blues were born in Africa and then brought to America, so it is interesting to see the amalgam of traditional music from the African desert melded with a reaction to modern American blues. The result is the ‘desert blues' that Tinariwen have perfected. Since they splashed onto the scene at Le Festival Au Desert in 2001, they have established themselves as the premier desert blues act in the world, despite the lack of mainstream recognition in the western world.

Tinariwen's music elicits the emotions of the harsh Saharan lifestyle rife with the violent struggle that has characterized the Tuareg's plight. As rhythmic as it is melodic, their sounds emote a sorrow and loneliness but a mournful acceptance of both. This isn't to say that their music is morose by any stretch of the imagination. At times, they are downright grooving. They were the first desert band to go electric and have since influenced many talented bands that are toiling in their shadow. It is well known legend by now that lead musician Ibrahim saw his father killed in a rebel scuffle when he was a child, and the weight of the world lays heavy in his voice. He is considered a visionary poet in his language, and it was a while before I knew the foreign syllables I was singing along to were poignant verse all along.

Their impressive newest album, titled Aman Iman, translated to ‘water is life,' was released in 2007 to major acclaim around the globe. It is still lesser known in the United States, where glitz and glamour outshine the raw beauty of honest music not aimed at accruing capital. The truth is, Tinariwen would exist whether or not they got a record deal. Their music is the soundtrack to the Tuareg rebellion and is not hinged upon the players of the instruments but rather the struggles of the people as a whole. The band has eleven members, none of whom are integral to the band's existence. Though Ibrahim is considered leader, he was absent on a recent tour due to health reasons and the group were not held back in the least.

I won't call them the 'next big thing,' because frankly, for many people around the world, they are already the current big thing. However, for those who remain unfamiliar, I implore you to at least give the iconoclastic Tinariwen a listen.

-by Jemayel Khawaja