Afrique Victime

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, the album received positive reviews from international publications including Rolling Stone, Paste, Pitchfork, and The Guardian. The album is sung almost entirely in Tamasheq, though parts (including the name of the album and its title song) are in French. The band also released a companion documentary about the creation of the album, including the difficulties faced by their band members living on two continents, Africa and the United States. It was also described as the "gateway" for Mdou Moctar's popularity.

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

Background
Mdou Moctar released his debut album in 2008, titled Anar, He later partnered with American record label Sahel Sounds to release his music globally, he released several other albums like Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai, Sousoume Tamachek and Ilana: The Creator. He later switched his label to Matador Records, releasing Afrique Victime. The album features Rock music and some Blues and Assouf genres. It was recorded in different places, including Niamey, Niger. It was also the first album of Moctar to feature African fusion than Blues. "The key element is to get through the message, even subconsciously, that the continent of Africa is being victimized, and to understand what France is doing in terms of colonialism on the African continent and how France must help."

Documentary
In September 2021, a 10-minute documentary related to the album was released. The documentary features the creation of Afrique Victime. The documentary was released through Matador Records, the same label as the album. It was mainly shot by bassist Mike Coltun, which travelled to Niger to record the album. It shows the political circumstances happening in Niger, as Moctar stated: "Many things are getting worse and it’s accelerating. Today, there are armed terrorists on motorbikes who are robbing people. A few weeks ago, they killed 213 people in villages, including young children, women, elderly people… […] I can't say all that in a song, that's why I'm looking for the kind of interview we have together today to get these messages across, that's what pushed me to make this album."

Recording process
During his tour for his album Ilana (The Creator), he started recording this album during small breaks in his tour. The record was made in several 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. He said that studios lessen the hearing experience to have a person manipulating the recordings. Moctar also shared that Afrique Victime was his first album with studio equipment and professional sound engineers. Bass guitarist Mike Coltun also stated that they shot the songs in one take. Moctar reportedly based the album over his environment and surroundings. The songs were also recorded in a variety of locations.

Release and touring
The album was released on May 21, 2021, under Matador Records, an American independent label. The album length was 41 minutes and 23 seconds, consisting of 9 songs. In homage to spreading his first albums in Bluetooth, he included a collector's edition Nokia 6120 handset. Moctar also included digital, vinyl, and CD versions. Following the release, he announced a 2022 tour, making stops in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, France, Sweden, and more. The tour started on February 27 in North Carolina and ended on August 6 in Poland.

Tracks
The album is about violence in Africa. In an interview with Reverb, he mentioned a massacre near his town that killed 202 people. The songs are mixed between traditional Saharan beats and American guitar. Most of the songs have drum rhythms, group chants, and guitar solos, with some songs being either electric or acoustic. The songs sometimes have repeated riffs, handclapping, and a climax. The songs are powered by his left-hand playing, and his "unique sprawling style", with a "vibrant soundscape" ranging from Chismiten to Bismilahi Atagah. Instead of the regular four-note beat, Moctar uses a three-note beat, with some of his songs using the two-note beat.

Chismiten
Chismiten was released on October 7, 2020, the song is sung in Moctar's local Tamasheq language. It starts with the sound of a rooster crowing and footsteps walking over crunchy land, then, a guitar solo appearing with a "fluttery sound". Then, the other bandmates join, completing the song with a "happy and a joyful vibe". The music video contains cellphone footage containing weddings and parts of Niger. The song 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." Chismiten was described by AllMusic as "desert blues with fearless rock & roll swagger".

Taliat
On January 28, 2019, "Taliat" was released; the music video features a one-shot of band members 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". Moctar stated: "'Taliat ' means woman, in our community, women are queens, they have a lot of power, that['s] 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." The song was described by Pop culture website Uproxx as a "guitar-driven psychedelic rocker".

Ya Habibti
On May 21, 2021, "Ya Habibti" was released, the track is dedicated to Moctars' partner, Layla. The term Ya Habibti roughly translates to “my love” or “my beloved.” The song is described by the radio program Afropop Worldwide having "[both] clapping and flickering acoustic guitar runs". The song also contains "stuttering percussion and grainy acoustics".

Tala Tannam
On May 21, 2021, Tala Tannam was released, the term Tala Tannam translates to "Your Tears". The track features a guitar and some percussion, with gang vocals surrounding it, and also includes group harmonies. The music video contains friends and family in the Tuareg community in Niamey. The video also features the Hausa people. The song was described by AllMusic with a "soft, acoustic texture" and as a "sweetly devotional love song". The music website Stereogum also described the song as a "dusty acoustic reverie". The song was also described as a "sandstorm of music".

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

Asdikte Akal
On May 21, 2021, Asdikte Akal was released, the song has a remix by South African rapper Yugen Blakrok. The song talks about Moctars' homeland, and his love for it. It was described by AllMusic as a "slinky love song", also talking about Tuareg separatist violence.

Layla
On May 21, 2021, Layla was released, yet another song for Moctars' partner, the song talks about his love for his partner, Layla, hence its name, Layla. In a review by Pitchfork, the song was described as acoustic blues. The song reportedly contains "punchy drum machine fills" and a "psychedelic swirl", and also reportedly contains some group harmonies.

Afrique Victime
On May 21, 2021, Afrique Victime was released, the song starts with 20 seconds of silence, followed by wild guitar solo, the song 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 in which French troops killed Nigerian people and hanged the bodies into trees. The song was described by AllMusic as "the sonic and emotional centerpiece" of the album and was described as the "most conclusive example of Moctar's multidimensional talents to date".

Bismilahi Atagah
On May 21, 2021, Bisamilahi Atagah was released, the song is about Moctars' religious perspective and his experience with his god. The song was described by Website Beats Per Minute having "tender acoustic picking".

Deluxe Edition
In February 2022, Moctar released 9 songs representing the deluxe edition as well as the 9 songs in the original, the deluxe edition includes the song Nakanegh Dich, which was cut from the final version of the original album, the song was recorded with Rob Schnapf in the city of Los Angeles, it was the first Moctar song to include the Wah-wah pedal. Bassist Mike Coltun recalls Moctar calling Rob Schnapf into the studio to control the pedal with his feet, while Moctar played a guitar solo.

Reception
Afrique Victime was ranked the 31st best album of 2021 on Metacritic, a popular review aggregator. The album also got four out of five from AllMusic, a music database, 9 out of 10 from the entertainment publisher Exclaim!, four out of five from The Guardian, 8 out of 10 from the music magazine, The Line of Best Fit, 4.5 out of 5 from the magazine MusicOMH, 9 out of 10 from the music magazine Paste, 8.4 out of 10 from Pitchfork, a music publication, 4 out of 5 from the Rolling Stone, 4.5 out of 5 from the magazine Uncut, and 8 out of 10 from the magazine Under the Radar. Website OkayAfrica stated that "From the chaotic and violent crescendos of the title track to the plaintive voices that echo through you in "Tala Tannam"[,] there are moments on this record that match the most defiant wile outs of Jimi Hendrix". The British magazine Our Culture Mag also described the album as having a "palpable sense of urgency and aliveness to Mdou Moctar’s music that not only speaks to the spirit of the people behind it but resonates far beyond." The song was described by Website ThePsychRock reportedly having a feeling of "sunshine", it was also described as fingerpicked, acoustic, and "soothing to the ear". The album was also picked as album of the month by British music magazine, DJ Mag.

Political context
The album talks about different political positions, including war crimes, sexism, and murder. Moctar also talks about political violence in his home country, Niger, and problems and murder relating to motorcycle gangs. Moctar also hints at the history of Africa and colonialism in Africa in the namesake song Afrique Victime. Moctar stated, “Afrique Victime is a message to all of the countries with money and power who come into Africa and kill the leaders who try to empower the people and lead revolutions. This pushes the area into danger and instability and emboldens the terrorists, and it’s the people who suffer and have no justice". The album also talks about the exploitation of Africa under colonial powers, including the Nigerien mining plunder, and French imperialism. Moctar also talks about racial discrimination, in an interview with Dazed, a lifestyle magazine, he says "The US can kill people from the sky now, but pilots can’t eliminate 4,000 terrorists living in our desert? How can the influence of 52 countries not resolve that issue? How!" he also talks about sparse food and water in his hometown Niger, and the loss of important African political figures like Kadaffi.

Personnel
Mdou Moctar
 * Mahamadou 'Mdou Moctar' Souleymane – lead guitar, vocals
 * Ahmoudou Madassane – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
 * Michael Coltun – bass guitar, backing vocals, drum machines, production
 * Souleymane Ibrahim – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional personnel
 * Robert Beatty – artwork

Charts
The album peaked at 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 also 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 on the Belgian Album Chart.