Imarhan, the Tuareg desert blues innovators hailing from Algeria, announce their fourth album, Essam, scheduled for release on 16 January 2026 via CitySlang (pre-save here).
Since their formation in 2006, Imarhan – guitarist and vocalist Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane (Sadam), bassist Tahar Khaldi, guitarists Hicham Bouhasse and Abdelkader Ourzig, and percussionist Haiballah Akhamouk – have continually reshaped perceptions of Tuareg music. Building on the foundations of assouf (the desert blues sound made globally known by pioneers Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar), the group fuse ancient poetry and rhythm with funk, psychedelia, and pan-African groove to create something both timeless and urgently modern.
With Essam – meaning “lightning” in the Tuareg language Tamasheq – the band make their most daring leap yet. Recorded at their Aboogi Studio in the heart of Tamanrasset in southern Algeria and produced by longtime collaborator Maxime Kosinetz with some additional production by Emile Papandreou of French duo UTO, the album introduces electronic textures, expansive production and a newfound intimacy. Local artists and friends joined the sessions, contributing handclaps and vocals, heard on the evocative opening track whose intimate production signals Imarhan’s new sound. Women from Tamanrasset also participated, honouring their historic role in Tuareg music – through instruments like imzad and tinde, the latter featured on the album track, “Assagasswar.” Their presence is especially meaningful given the growing challenges women face in southern Algeria.
Essam carries the pulse of its surroundings: clapping friends, echoing voices, and a sense of shared space, culminating in a sweeping statement of identity and evolution. “We tried something we’d never done before; we took some risks,” says Sadam. “Music allows us the freedom to try new things.”
The lead single, “Derhan N’Oulhine”, showcases this fearless experimentation, blending desert-rock roots with subtle electronic textures and folk motifs, anchored by a blues-inflected guitar that occasionally bursts into resonant riffs. Its accompanying video, directed by Elsa Pennachio on 8mm Bolex, mirrors the album’s creation: traditional techniques and analogue processing produce a hybrid, timeless aesthetic. Film overprints, modular synth effects, and live recordings reflect both the beauty and tension of Tuareg life, caught between heritage and global modernity.
Elsewhere on Essam, Imarhan explore displacement, belonging and resilience, shaped by recent upheavals across the Sahara, from pandemic years to political instability along the Algerian-Mali border. “The refugees, the suffering, the hope – we feel all of it” says Sadam. “But life is beautiful, even in its darker moments.” Their connection to togetherness and community remains central: Aboogi Studio doubles as a cultural and creative hub, nurturing young artists and preserving Tuareg traditions. “Aboogi is like a music school. We’ve tried to come up with ideas to help people who don’t have the means to travel, to help them record some music.”
Essam tracklist
- Ahitmanin
- Derhan N’Oulhine
- Téllalt
- Tamiditin
- Okcheur
- Azaman Amoutay
- Tin Arayth
- Tinfoussen
- Adounia Tochal
- Assagasswar
Imarhan’s collaboration with DamonAlbarn on a stripped-back version of “Derhan N’Oulhine” for Africa Express Presents… Bahidorá (2025) hints at their growing global reach – and underscores their boundaryless approach to sound. Ultimately, Essam is both an evolution and a homecoming. It’s the sound of Tuareg music unbound, rooted in the desert, yet alive in the world.
Listen to the track, “Derhan N’Oulhine”, here and watch the video below.
Imarhan today also announce a UK and European tour, with an extensive run of shows in the UK in March 2026, including a London show at 229 on 21 March. The full routing is below, with more shows to be announced.
Live Dates
2025
18.10.25 · FR Toulouse · Le Métronum
04.11.25 · HU Budapest · House Of Music
14.11.25 · FR Redon · Le Carré 9
15.11.25 · FR Le Blanc Mesnil · Espace Culturel Musique et Danse
2026
18.03.26 · UK Manchester · Band On The Wall
19.03.26 · UK Leeds · Old Woolen
20.03.26 · UK Shoreham (near Brighton) · Ropetackle Art Centre
21.03.26 · UK London · 229
22.03.26 · UK Cardiff · Acapella
23.03.26 · UK Falmouth · The Cornish Bank
24.03.26 · UK Bury St Edmonds · Apex
26.03.26 · FR Paris · Trabendo
27.03.26 · FR Alençon · La Luciole TBC
28.03.26 · FR Plougastel-Daoulas · Espace Culturel Avel Vor
09.04.26 · NL Amsterdam · Paradisio
10.04.26 · NL Middelburg · De Spot
