Tiris are certainly doing their bit for putting Western Sahara on the map. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Singing in Hassaniya, their sound is distinctive and carries unmistakably Arab and even Spanish flamenco influences – a reflection of Western Sahara’s colonial history. Listening to this fills me with a formidable sense of awe at what an incredibly diverse continent Africa is and as much as I am one who has previously casually thrown in the label ‘African’ in conversation, it really doesn’t tell you much. If anything at all, apart from point to a geographical terrain. Regardless, I feel a sense of something that feels like pride to be a part of this ‘undefinable’ rich mix without breaking it down into microcosms. I digress.

Surprisingly, Tiris haven’t yet made it to YouTube (I checked), but have performed at various locales including my dream destination, the Festival au Desert in Mali. You can listen to samples of Tiris’ delightful debut album, Sandtracks via Sandblast, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes artists from Western Sahara to bring their cause for self-determination to the global centre stage. More samples here. I particularly love the throaty haunting call at the intro of El Leil, El Leil (The Night).