Nigerien Rock Band Mdou Moctar Announce New Album, ‘Funeral for Justice’

Mdou Moctar is one of the most inventive acts in rock music. The Nigerien band, named after its lead singer and self-taught, virtuoso guitarist, has been consistently renowned for its exciting and sweeping blend of traditional desert blues and psychedelic rock. Singing in Tamasheq, many won’t understand the words in Moctar’s lyrics, but it’s easy to engage with the smoldering intensity and the occasional gentle warmth emanating from the music.

In May, Mdou Moctar will be releasing Funeral for Justice, the band’s official follow-up to 2021’s Afrique Victim.

Funeral for Justice was recorded at the end of Mdou Moctar extensive touring schedule for their last LP and according to a press release, the new album “captures the Nigerien quartet in ferocious form. The music is louder, faster, and more wild. The guitar solos are feedback-scorched and the lyrics are passionately political. Nothing is held back or toned down.”

Ahead of the coming album, the band has shared its title track as the lead single. “Funeral for Justice” is a hard swinging psych-rock track with a dizzying groove and chanted lyrics, an apt teaser that justifies the descriptions in its press release. In its accompanying video, the quartet of Moctar, guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane, drummer Souleyman Ibrahim, and American bassist/producer Michael “Mikey” Coltun rock out in a jam session under the hue of strobe lights.

When it came out, Afrique Victim was critically acclaimed as Moctar’s most accomplished album, and it’s easy to understand why. It’s arguably the band’s most accessible work yet, but it’s still a layered musical explosion that speaks to socially relevant themes, Nigerien life and explores personal feelings. In one breath, Moctar laments widespread insecurity and loss of life due to insurgency in his West African country, and in the another moment he eulogizes his wife for courageously giving birth to their child while he was away on tour.

Shortly after, the band issued Afrique Refait, a remix album that featured contributions from strictly African artists, ranging from Kenyan metal duo Duma to South African goth rap auteur Yugen Blakrok. Moctar also released two EPs of unreleased material titled after their country of origin.

In support of Funeral for Justice, Mdou Moctar will be touring extensively across North America and Europe, starting with a pair of performances during both weekends of this year’s Coachella music and arts festival. Find more details about the tour on the band’s website.

Watch the video for “Funeral for Justice” below and pre-save the album here.