Afrique Victime

2021 studio album by Mdou Moctar
Afrique Victime
A pied crow flying over a purple outline of Africa, which morphs into a woman's face at the south end of the continent
Studio album by
Mdou Moctar
Released21 May 2021 (2021-05-21)
StudioNiamey, Niger[1]
Genre
  • Rock
  • blues
  • assouf
Length41:23
LabelMatador
ProducerMichael Coltun
Mdou Moctar chronology
Ilana: The Creator
(2019) 		Afrique Victime
(2021) 		Funeral for Justice
(2024)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic86/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Exclaim!9/10[4]
The Guardian[5]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[6]
MusicOMH[7]
Paste9.0/10[8]
Pitchfork8.4/10[1]
Rolling Stone[9]
Uncut[10]
Under the Radar[11]

Afrique Victime is the sixth album by Tuareg musician Mdou Moctar. It was released on 21 May 2021 as the artist's first album with Matador Records[12] and received positive reviews from international publications including Rolling Stone,[9] Paste,[8] Pitchfork,[1] and The Guardian.[5] The album is sung almost entirely in Tamasheq, though parts (including the name of the album and its title song) are in French.[13] The band released a companion documentary about the making of the album, including the difficulties faced with their bandmembers living on two continents, Africa and the United States.[14]

Several critics added the album to their end-of-year best album lists for 2021, including the New York Times,[15] Pitchfork,[16] The Guardian,[17] Rolling Stone,[18] and Consequence.[19]

Background

Mdou Moctar released his debut album in 2008, titled Anar,[20] He later partnered with American record label Sahel Sounds to release his music globally,[21] he also released other albums like Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai, Sousoume Tamachek and Ilana: The Creator. He later switched his label to Matador Records, releasing Afrique Victime.[22] The album features Rock music and some Blues and Assouf genres.[1]

The album was recorded on different places, including Niamey, Niger,[1] Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Three Oaks, Michigan, Los Angeles, and New York City.[23]

Recording process

The record was made in a number of different studios; since Mdou Moctar, as he said in an interview with Reverb, is reluctant to spend too much time cooped up in a studio, they recorded the album in intervals, over a few weeks.[24]

Release and touring

Mdou Moctar performing Afrique Victime
Mdou Moctar performing Afrique Victime at the 2022 Pori Jazz festival in Pori, Finland.

The album released on May 21, 2021, under Matador Records, an American independent label.[25] The album length was 41 minutes and 23 seconds, consisting of 9 songs.[26]

Tracks

The album is about violence regarding Africa. In an interview with Reverb, he mentioned a massacre near his town which killed 202 people.[24]

Chismiten

Chismiten was released on October 7, 2020, the music video contains cellphone footage containing weddings and parts of Niger.[27] The song Chismiten indicates how people in a relationship "lose their sense of self". Mdou Moctar also says: "It is not about one specific person, but about all [the] people in the world. I turn to Allah for guidance not to be that person."[28]

Taliat

On January 28, 2019, "Taliat" was released; the music video features a one-shot of bandmembers Mdou Moctar, Mike Coltun, and Ahmoudou Madassane listening to the song in the car. Coltun mentioned: "If you look closely, you can see Mdou singing along".[29]

Moctar stated: "'Taliat' means woman, in our community, women are queens, they have a lot of power, that why I use the term 'taliat' to talk about them. A woman in the Tuareg community has to be protected, but she also has to be treated as equal."[30]

Ya Habibti

On May 21, 2021, "Ya Habibti" was released, the track is dedicated to Moctars' partner, Layla.[31] The term Ya Habibti roughly translates to “my love” or “my beloved.”[32]

Tala Tannam

On May 21, 2021, Tala Tannam was released,[33] the term Tala Tannam translates to "Your Tears", the track features a guitar and some percussion, with gang vocals surrounding it.[34] The music video contains friends and family in the Tuareg community in Niamey. The video also features the Hausa people.[35]

Untitled

On May 21, 2021, Untitled was released.[36] The song has a remix by Kenyan guitar band Duma.[37]

Asdikte Akal

On May 21, 2021, Asdikte Akal was released, the song has a remix by South African rapper Yugen Blakrok.[38] The song talks about Moctars' homeland, and his love for it.[39]

Layla

On May 21, 2021, Layla was released, yet another song for Moctars' partner,[31] the song talks about his love for his partner, Layla, hence its name, Layla.[40] In a review by Pitchfork, the song was described as acoustic blues.[25]

Afrique Victime

The song Afrique Victime is about the "violence" of the colonial past and present, hence its name Afrique Victime. The song also mentions the Voulet–Chanoine Mission, a mission which French troops killed Nigerian people and hanged the bodies into trees.[22]

Reception

The album was "highly respected" in the country of Niger, with their outdoor performance "creating dancing crowds", the crowds were also reportedly "chanting and singing" during the performance.[25] The album was also respected for their "rebelling lyrics" about War crimes, sexism, and other important matters.[25]

The album got 31st Best Album of 2021 on Metacritic, a popular review aggregator.[41] The album also got four out of five from AllMusic,[23] a music database, 9 out of 10 from the entertainment publisher Exclaim!,[1] four out of five from The Guardian, a newspaper,[5] 8 out of 10 from the music magazine, The Line of Best Fit,[15] and 4.5 out of 5 from the magazine MusicOMH,[14] 9 out of 10 from the music magazine Paste,[8] 8.4 out of 10 from Pitchfork, a music publication,[22] 4 out of 5 from the Rolling Stone magazine,[9] 4.5 out of 5 from the magazine Uncut,[17] and 8 out of 10 from the magazine Under the Radar.[18]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mdou Moctar.

Afrique Victime track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Chismiten"4:58
2."Taliat"3:48
3."Ya Habibti"3:31
4."Tala Tannam"5:38
5."Untitled"1:25
6."Asdikte Akal"4:31
7."Layla"4:26
8."Afrique Victime"7:25
9."Bismilahi Atagah"5:36
Total length:41:23

Personnel

Mdou Moctar

Additional personnel

  • Robert Beatty – artwork[42]

Charts

Chart performance for Afrique Victime
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[43] 180
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[44] 92
Scottish Albums (OCC)[45] 31
UK Album Sales (OCC)[46] 36
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[47] 57
UK Physical Albums (OCC)[48] 36
UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)[49] 22
UK Record Store (OCC)[50] 14
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[51] 16
UK Independent Album Breakers (OCC)[52] 2

The album peaked on number 2 in the UK Independent Singles and Album Breakers Charts, the album also entered the top 30 in the UK Vinyl Albums Chart, UK Physical Albums chart, the UK Record Store Chart, and the UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts. The album entered the top 100 in the Dutch Album chart, the Scottish Album chart, the UK Album Sales chart, and the UK Physical Album chart. The album also entered the top 200 in the Belgian Album chart.[46][48][49][50][52]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Sodomsky, Sam (2021-05-20). "Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  2. ^ "Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ Monger, Timothy. "Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  4. ^ Khanna, Vish (17 May 2021). "Mdou Moctar Takes His Peerless Guitar Rock to New Heights on 'Afrique Victime'". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime review – wild, virtuosic Tuareg blues". The Guardian. 2021-05-23. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  6. ^ Scott, Paddy (17 May 2021). "On Afrique Victime, Mdou Moctar and his band are the true sound of youth resistance". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  7. ^ Bemrose, Bekki (19 May 2021). "Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Mdou Moctar's Vision Blossoms into a Desert Flower on Afrique Victime". pastemagazine.com. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  9. ^ a b c Grow, Kory (2021-05-20). "Mdou Moctar's 'Afrique Victime' Redefines Freedom in Rock". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2021-07-23.
  10. ^ O'Connell, Sharon (21 May 2021). "Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime". Uncut. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  11. ^ Krcatovich, Dustin (20 May 2021). "Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime (Matador) - review". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Mdou Moctar Announces New Album Afrique Victime, Released Music Video For Single Tala Tannam". Guitar.com. 3 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  13. ^ Ayers, Mike (2021-07-02). "Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime". relix. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2021-12-09. Aside from a bit of French in spots, the songs are all sung in Tamasheq...
  14. ^ a b Minsker, Evan (2021-09-16). "Mdou Moctar Releases Afrique Victime Documentary: Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  15. ^ a b Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (2021-12-02). "Best Albums of 2021". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  16. ^ Hulley, Allison (2021-12-07). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  17. ^ a b Szatan, Gabriel (2021-12-06). "The 50 best albums of 2021, No 10: Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  18. ^ a b Bernstein, Jonathan (2021-12-03). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  19. ^ Consequence staff (2021-12-07). "Top 50 Albums of 2021". Consequence. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  20. ^ "Mdou Moctar: 31 July 2014". web.archive.org. 2014-03-30. Archived from the original on 2014-03-30. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  21. ^ "Artist To Watch: Mdou Moctar". Stereogum. 2019-03-05. Archived from the original on 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  22. ^ a b c Yoo, Noah. "Mdou Moctar: "Afrique Victime"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  23. ^ a b Afrique Victime - Mdou Moctar | Album | AllMusic, archived from the original on 2023-12-22, retrieved 2024-07-04
  24. ^ a b c d Millevoi, Nick (14 May 2021). "Mdou Moctar on the Recording and Meaning of "Afrique Victime"". reverb.com. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d Sodomsky, Sam. "Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  26. ^ Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar on Apple Music, 2021-05-21, retrieved 2024-07-09
  27. ^ "Mdou Moctar - "Chismiten"". Stereogum. 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  28. ^ "Chismiten, by Mdou Moctar". Mdou Moctar. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  29. ^ "Hear Mdou Moctar's latest track Taliat ahead of the release of his new album Afrique Victime". Guitar.com. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  30. ^ "Watch the video for Mdou Moctar's new song "Taliat"". The FADER. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  31. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (2021-05-20). "Mdou Moctar's Songs of Revolution and Love". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  32. ^ Genius English Translations – Mdou Moctar - Ya Habibti (English Translation), retrieved 2024-07-09
  33. ^ "Tala Tannam, by Mdou Moctar". Mdou Moctar. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  34. ^ H, Rob (2021-03-02). "Tuareg artist Mdou Moctar shares the glowing "Tala Tannam" and announces new album". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  35. ^ Yoo, Noah (2021-03-02). "Mdou Moctar Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  36. ^ "Untitled, by Mdou Moctar". Mdou Moctar. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  37. ^ "Mdou Moctar - Untitled (Duma Remix) · Single Review ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  38. ^ "Asdikte Akal (Yugen Blakrock Remix), by Mdou Moctar feat. Kanif The Jhatmaster & Kanif The Jhatmaster". Mdou Moctar. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  39. ^ Genius English Translations – Mdou Moctar - Asdikte Akal (English Translation), retrieved 2024-07-10
  40. ^ Mdou Moctar – Layla, retrieved 2024-07-12
  41. ^ Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar, archived from the original on 2023-12-22, retrieved 2024-07-04
  42. ^ Hussey, Allison (2022-11-08). "Robert Beatty Is Your Favorite Artist's Favorite Album Designer". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  43. ^ "Ultratop.be – Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  44. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  45. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  46. ^ a b "Official Albums Sales Chart top 100". Official Charts Company. 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  47. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  48. ^ a b "Official Physical Albums Chart top 100". Official Charts Company. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  49. ^ a b "Official Vinyl Albums Chart top 100". Official Charts Company. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  50. ^ a b "Official Record Store Chart top 100". Official Charts Company. 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  51. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  52. ^ a b "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart top 100". Official Charts Company. 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz release group