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Feb 28, 2024 By Mark Redfern Photography by Ebru Yildiz

Nigerien quartet Mdou Moctar have announced a new album, Funeral for Justice, and shared its title track, via a music video. Funeral for Justice is due out May 3 via Matador. Check out the title track below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover artwork, as well as the band’s upcoming tour dates.

Funeral for Justice follows the band’s 2021 album, Afrique Victime.

The band shares its name with its lead singer and guitarist. In a press release, Moctar says the new album is inspired by the troubling political climate in Niger. “This album is really different for me. Now the problems of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When the U.S. and Europe came here, they said they’re going to help us, but what we see is really different. They never help us to find a solution.”

Producer and bassist Mikey Coltun says: “Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band ever since I’ve been a part of it. France came in, fucked up the country, then said ‘you’re free.’ And they’re not.”

Speaking of the band’s progression, Coltun adds: “Ilana was the gateway album, saying that this is a raw rock band. And Afrique Victime was a summation of that vision. With Funeral for Justice, I really wanted this to shine with the political message because of everything that’s going on. As the band got tighter and heavier live, it made sense to capture this urgency and this aggression—it wasn’t a forced thing, it was very natural.”

Read our interview with Mdou Moctar on Afrique Victime.

Funeral for Justice Tracklist:

1. Funeral for Justice
2. Imouhar
3. Takoba
4. Sousoume
5. Imagerhan
6. Tchinta
7. Djallo #1
8. Oh France
9. Modern Slaves

Mdou Moctar Tour Dates:

April 14 - Indio, CA @ Coachella Music and Arts Festival
April 21 - Indio, CA @ Coachella Music and Arts Festival
June 5 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Anchor Rock Club
June 6 - Harrisburg, PA @ The Abbey Bar at ABC
June 7 - Richmond, VA @ Cheers Brown’s Island
June 8 - Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
June 9 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
June 11 - Charleston, SC @ Pour House
June 12 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
June 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
June 14 - Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
June 15 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Hi-Fi
June 18 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
June 19 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag
June 20 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
June 21 - Buffalo, NY @ Asbury Hall
June 22 - Greenfield, MA @ Green River Music Festival
June 23 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
June 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
June 27 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
June 28 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
July 3 - London, UK @ Electric Brixton
July 7 - Beuningen, NL @ Down the Rabbit Hole
August 19 - Berlin, DE @ Festaal Kreuzberg
August 20 - Leipzig, DE @ UT Kreuzberg
August 21 - Munich, DE @ Ampere
August 22 - Milan, IT @ Magnolia Summer Stage
August 25 - Paris, FR @ Petit Bain
August 26 - Antwerp, BE @ OLT Revierenhof
August 27 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
August 30 - Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
August 31 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Psych Fest
September 1 - Birmingham, UK @ Moseley Folk Festival
September 2 - Glasgow, UK @ Saint Luke’s
September 3 - Newcastle, UK @ Boiler Shop
September 4 - Leeds, UK @ The Brudenell Social Club

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