February 11th will see the release of Tinariwen‘s new full-length album Emmaar via ANTI- Records. Recorded over three weeks in Joshua Tree, California, the follow up to Tinariwen’s 2011 album Tassili is the first album the band recorded away from Mali due to the turmoil in the country. “This is the first time we are recording out of Africa it has to be in a desert,” said bassist Eyadou Ag Leche. “We would like to live in peace in the North of Mali, but this is very difficult, there is no administration, no banks, no food, no gas. Joshua Tree is in the high desert of California, we love all the desert, these are places where we feel good to live and to create.”
Emmaar features guest contributions from poet Saul Williams, Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, Matt Sweeney from Chavez and Nashville fiddler Fats Kaplin.
Ahead of the album’s release, Tinariwen are offering the new single  ‘Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim’ and it comes with a video. Watch it below.