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Out Now: TIMCHAR — The New Album

Autorenbild: Lotino
Lotino
31. Okt.
1 Min. Lesezeit

NEW ALBUM RELEASE — OCTOBER 10, 2026

TIMCHAR


A pioneer of Nigerien desert blues and co-founder of Etran Finatawa returns with a profound musical journey bridging Niger, Douala, and Berlin. Produced in Douala by Makassi pioneer Sam Fan Thomas.

Alhousseini Mohamed Anivolla


CRITICAL ACCLAIM

“Timchar breaks open the rigid genre boxes that often constrain African artists in Western markets. ANEWAL is not merely preserving nomadic traditions; he is actively expanding them, dragging the desert blues into urban recording studios and proving that musical dialogue across vast geographic divides yields breathtaking results.”



THE JOURNEY & TRANSMISSION

Memory in Motion

TIMCHAR stands for memory in motion and the ongoing evolution of cultural identity. Dedicated to ANEWAL’s mother and the enduring transmission of Tamashek culture, the record weaves childhood memories with adventurous new musical horizons.


LEAD SINGLE 

Zennemigazat The opening statement of the album journey, laying bare the raw spirit and evocative guitar phrasing of the Sahara.


Experience TIMCHAR

Available worldwide on all major streaming platforms or via World Music Network.


 
 
 

Kommentare


"Timchar breaks open the rigid genre boxes that often constrain African artists in Western markets. ANEWAL is not merely preserving nomadic traditions; he is actively expanding them, dragging the desert blues into urban recording studios and proving that musical dialogue across vast geographic divides yields breathtaking results."

Nine years after "Osas-it´s time!" and six years after "Afropentatonism", TIMCHAR bursts onto the scene with a fully reimagined sonic identity. The encounter with ANEWAL’s childhood hero, Sam Fan Thomas, ignited a musical spark that opened a completely new dimension for the experienced desert blues man:  Desert Blues collides with Makossa—raw, vibrant, and unlike anything heard before. This is the story behind the sound.

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“I remember watching Sam on Niger public TV, in black and white, and we all wanted to dance like him,” ANEWAL says. That memory became collaboration. Recorded at Studio Makassi, TIMCHAR blends ANEWAL’s grainy vocal, cyclical guitar lines and intimate performance with Sam Fan Thomas’s production and guest vocals. Additional sessions in Berlin with Tunde Agonglo extend the album’s human scale across continents.

The title TIMCHAR means “things that have gone.” Dedicated to ANEWAL’s mother and to the transmission of Tamashek culture, the album treats memory as something alive — moving through new rooms, new relationships and new rhythm.

“Desert blues has always been about connection,” ANEWAL reflects. “With Sam Fan Thomas, I found a new way to carry my story forward.”

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TIMCHAR continues Alhousseini’s long tradition of creative encounters — from Etran Finatawa to collaborations with Guy Buttery, Huun Huur Tu and Girum Mezmur — opening yet another chapter in a career defined by innovation, exchange and deep cultural roots. More information on: World Music Network UK

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Photo credits: Jean Molitor

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