Funeral For Justice is the new album by Mdou Moctar. Recorded at the close of two years spent touring the globe following the release of 2019 breakout Afrique Victime, it captures the Nigerien quartet in ferocious form. The music is louder, faster, and more wild. The guitar solos are feedback-scorched and the lyrics are passionately political. Nothing is held back or toned down.
Mdou Moctar’s Funeral For Justice requests your presence. Show up open to the celebration of life, loved as it should be loved. Experience the exaltation and exuberance. The words speak of ascension, awareness, sorrow, apathy, knowing, and growth. The guitars speak of power, energy, jubilation, transcendency, immediacy, and tradition. The drums and percussion mark the pulse of now as well as a timeless dance that involves us all, as it did those that came before us. The wires that carry the message feel alive with fire and purpose, explosive with possibility. This “funeral” is an acknowledgment. This “funeral” is abundant. This “funeral” overflows into the street filled with dance. This “funeral” stretches late into the night, kicking up the dirt, with the hum of a generator, an ever present member of the rhythm section. This “funeral” is a clarion call for reason and a belief that change is possible. – Damon Locks
The songs on ‘Funeral For Justice’ speak
unflinchingly to the plight of Niger and of the
Tuareg people. “This album is really different for
me,” explains Moctar, the band’s singer, namesake,
and indisputably iconic guitarist. “Now the problems
of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When
the US and Europe came here, they said they’re
going to help us, but what we see is really different.
They never help us to find a solution.”
“Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band
ever since I’ve been a part of it,” says producer and
bassist Mikey Coltun, who has been playing with
Moctar since 2017. “France came in, fucked up the
country, then said ‘you’re free.’ And they’re not.”
The song ‘Oh France’ tackles this head on: “France
veils its actions in cruelty / We are better without
this turbulent relationship / We must understand
their endless lethal games.”
On the lead single and title track, Moctar addresses African leaders directly, bidding them: “Retake
control of your countries, rich in resources / Build
them and quit sleeping”. The song ‘Sousoume Tamacheq’ deals with the plight of the Tuareg people
to which the band belong, and who are mainly
spread across three countries: Niger, Mali and
Algeria.”Oppressed in all three / In addition to lack
of unity, ignorance is the third issue.”
Another song, ‘Imouhar’, calls on the Tuareg to
preserve their Tamasheq language - it’s at risk of
dying out, and Mdou is one of the few in his com- munity who knows how to write it. “People here are
just using French,” laments Mdou. “They’re starting to forget their own language. We feel like in a
hundred years no one will speak good Tamasheq, and that’s so scary for us.”
Mdou Moctar in its current iteration is first and
foremost a band. Alongside Moctar, it consists of
rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane, drummer Souleymane Ibrahim, and American bassist and producer Mikey Coltun.
