A couple weeks back Split Works hooked one of the worlds biggest, most critically acclaimed acts – Tinariwen – the Sahara desert rock troupe formed from members of the Tuareg ethnic group who were forced to flee Mali to Algeria amidst government uprising, and who have graced stages and ears for decades with their spellbinding, rollicking, rebellious and ultimately transcendent music. The thing with a band of this nature and ilk is it’s innate ability to throw you into a trance. Now mind you, it’s not immediate. It’s gradual. The band chips away at you, one groove after another – some small, some subtle – and slowly but surely leers you into their trap. And then, like that, you’re theirs. And there’s no turning back – so you give in, let the purple hues lights guide you, and simply ride it through, as each songs picks up, spins you round, and tells every cell in your body to move. It’s infectious, gorgeously orchestrated, intricately layered and communal in the largest sense (their hype man is a vital ingredient). And it all went down here in Beijing. Props.
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