Toubouk Ine Chihoussay – Etran de L’Aïr

Etran De L’Aïr are a group hailing from the town of Agadez in the West African country of Niger. According to the internet, “Etran De L’Aïr” translates to “Stars of the Air” in English, which directly relates to Agadez’s location in the mountainous region of Northern Niger. Agadez is somewhat of a hub for the electric guitar in Niger, with many “Sahara desert blues” groups coming from the area.

I really have no idea what this song is about, but I do know it’s groovy as hell. I believe that “Toubouk Ine Chihoussay” means “flower of beauty,” or something along those lines. But, the great thing about music, of course, is that we don’t have to understand what the song is about to appreciate how cool it is.

I love the guitar in this song, it’s almost hypnotic, and the more you venture into West African music, the more common this seems to become. I would recommend listening to these guys ‘ entire album to fully appreciate how groovy they really are.

Link to song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxMvKqUC93o

Link to live performance – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qys3-xNjnW0