Tuareg desert blues performers Tinariwen reissued their 2001 debut The Radio Tisdas Sessions and its 2004 follow-up Amassakoul last year. Today, they are announcing their their ninth studio album, Amatssou (Tamashek for “Beyond The Fear”), which follows 2019’s Amadjar and is out in May. The 12-track album was recorded in “a makeshift studio tent” in Djanet, “an oasis in the desert of southern Algeria located in “the Tassili N’Ajjer National Park.” Accompanying the announcement is the lead single, “Tenere Den.”

Produced by Daniel Lanois, Amatssou features contributions from Fats Kaplin (who also plays with Jack White) and Wes Corbett, who recorded their parts in Nashville, and Kabyle percussionist Amar Chaoui, who recorded in Paris.

Listen to “Tenere Den” below.

TRACKLIST
01 “Kek Alghalm”
02 “Tenere Den”
03 “Arajghiyine”
04 “Imzad (Interlude)”
05 “Tidjit”
06 “Jayche Atarak”
07 “Imidiwan Mahitinam”
08 “Ezlan”
09 “Anemouhagh”
10 “Iket Adjen”
11 “Nak Idnizdjam”
12 “Tinde (Interlude)”

Amatssou is out 5/19 via Wedge.