Assikel

For two decades, Tamikrest’s music has illuminated the sound, culture and conscience of the Kel Tamasheq (Touareg) people of the Sahara. Tamikrest means ‘connection’ or ‘union’ in Tamasheq, and the band have become one of the Kel Tamasheq's most vital voices, raising awareness of their plight while channeling experiences of exile, loss and resistance. Their sixth studio album, Assikel, which means ‘voyage’ or ‘journey’, shows just how far the band have come.

Formed in 2006 by Ousmane Ag Mossa and Cheikh Ag Tiglia, both originally from Tinzawaten near the Mali-Algerian border, Tamikrest emerged under the influence of Tinariwen, those legendary pioneers of Ishumar guitar music. A serendipitous encounter with Glitterbeat’s co-founder Chris Eckman and his group Dirtmusic at the 2008 Festival in the Desert in Mali marked the beginning of a long-standing partnership with the label – one that has since helped bring the band to international attention. They are now an established four-piece with guitarist Paul Salvagnac, who joined in 2012, and percussionist Cédric ‘Momo’ Maurel, who joined a year later.

Assikel marks a deliberate tonal shift. Drawing on years of touring and improvisation, the band chose to record live to analogue tape.The idea was inspired, in part, by their love of the sound created by Altın Gün’s engineer/mixer Jasper Geluk, someone Momo affectionately describes as ‘an old school engineer, musician, sound poet and dreamer. He always has a screwdriver in his hand.’

Recording took place over ten days in October 2025 at Jasper’s Tone Boutique studio in Haarlem, using a late-1960s 16-track tape machine. As Jasper says: ‘It has a wonderful character in sound, although it can be challenging at times and a bit like driving a vintage 4x4, demanding full attention. But it’s always a thrill.’