Ibrahim Djo Experience
Re-Aktion Ibrahim Djo Experience : Azelman (ML,2011)***'
Ibrahim Djo Experience is a French band with a Touareg guitarist and songwriter. Of course this gives them different foundation compared to most Touareg bands. I especially like the first track, which is worked out most successfully, in an attractive, western alt-rock way, with beautiful atmospheric guitar arrangements. The second track fits with that approach as well, with more up-tempo pop/rock rhythms. For most tracks however the accompaniment is kept rather simple (3,5,7-9), with most focus on the Touareg songwriting without adding much else. On the third track this means the Touareg folk style with the inclusion of hand claps with the guitar remaining close in rhythm and melody to the song and with responding vocals. In general handclaps are being replaced by more simple guitar rhythms. On the fifth track there is some room for the lead guitar to improvise a bit, the band only calmly following the lead of the song. The 8th track “Timtar” almost sounds amateurish in its singing, the electric guitar solos are fine, the backing again is kept simple. Somehow I wished the band had given more of themselves, but I understand the main focus is on Ibrahim’s lead. All songs are sung in Tamasheq language, except for the fourth song, “sous mon arbre” which is in French. This is a light pop/rock version of a song with a Touareg song style foundation, with female French backing song melody singers. The first version of “Blues Du Désert”, still in a song context, has more focus on the guitars in electric blues style, with slide guitar and picking guitar, the last part, recorded like an outro for the album, is only guitar.
