Aziza Brahim's 'Soutak', the previous release on the Glitterbeat Records label, already took us to the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and for Noura Mint Seymali's 'Tzenni' we remain in the Sahara region. Translated from Hassaniya (a variety of Arabic that was spread throughout the Western Sahara region by the Beni Ḥassān Bedouin tribes) 'Tzenni' means something like "spinning around" or "rotating" and refers to a whirling dance associated with the music of Moorish griots. The term Moor applies to the mix of the two ethnic groups making up Mauritania's population: Arabs and Berbers. Noura Mint Seymali stems from a long lineage of Mauritanian musicians and with 'Tzenni' offers a modern take on the traditions of her ancestors. In addition to Western instruments like guitar, bass and drums, 'Tzenni' above all features the ardine, a harp related to the West African kora (see also the cover image of the album), and the tidinit, Mauritania's version of the ngoni. Another highly contagious desert album!