Mdou Moctar // Music From Saharan Cellphones

Perhaps it might have something to do with my own history of playing in a band that historically relied almost entirely on acoustic instruments that first endeared me to the band BRAINSTORM. There's something about the rogue nature of being able to set up anywhere at any time and perform an impromptu set that seems so spontaneous and pure. My absolute favorite moment from last year's 35(fill-in-the-blank) festival in Denton was BRAINSTORM's set in the middle of the street that delayed Big Boi's start time.

I'm not sure if it was the sheer amount of noise those two scamps could make being just a two-piece with but one extension cord, the fact that the small-time duo could so effectively fuck with the set of someone like a Big Boi, or just how furious the whole ordeal it made a certain festival co-organizer who shall remain nameless, but I've been hooked ever since. The way doors were slammed, pizza parlor employees were screamed at, cords violently yanked out of walls was in and of itself entertaining enough to watch, but the fact that even without their power source the pair carried on for one more song was sheer joy-inducing.

Recently the band discovered contemporary Nigerien musician Mdou Moctar via the Sahel Sounds label who took it upon themselves to release a compilation of some of his works. Per the label:

Mdou Moctar (pronounced “M”-”Doh”) is from Abalak, Niger. A few years back, he traveled to Sokoto, Nigeria to record an album. A curious feature was addition of Autotune, something the studio engineer suggested. The resulting eight songs, all spaced out Autotuned Tamashek guitar (quite possibly the first time ever) were never official released but disseminated throughout West Africa through that subtle network of cellphone SIM cards.

BRAINSTORM have subsequently covered a pair of Mdou Moctar tracks which are available via their BandCamp page. The original versions of these tunes can be found at Sahel Sounds.



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