#tantabara

Synus – Tantabara

“Synus Upgrade”, the self-acclaimed (Aljani da rap) ‘jin with the rap’, AKA “Grade” who hails from Kogi State, puts out his first song of the year, “Tantabara”. “TANTABARA” means Dove. A kind of bird which are symbolic to persistence, harmony, well-being, mercy, forgiveness, and freedom. In his words: “I’m giving the world a real definition of peace in this song which holds well-packed lyrics in…

Video + Audio: Ice Prince x Skales – Tantabara

Super Cool Cat boss, Ice Prince joins force with Mr Love, Skales. They dish out this Indigenous (Hausa) record dubbed “Tantabara“, produced by Princeton. The singers delivered an addictive love jam with melody that will still catch you attention even without understanding the Hausa Language.

On this music video Skales and Ice Prince goes camping with their lovers and close friend for a special…

[Video] Skales X Ice Prince – Tantabara

SCC and Ohk Entertainment releases the official music video for Skales and Ice Prince’s new joint “Tantabara”. Super Cool Cat boss, Ice Prince joins force with Mr Love, Skales. They dish out this Indigenous (Hausa) record dubbed “Tantabara“, produced by Princeton. The singers delivered an addictive love jam with melody that will still catch you attention…

BY JORDAN MAINZER

The first voice you hear on Tal National’s new and best album Tantabara is that of Zara Moussa, a guest vocalist. To think they’d need any more--of the 8 members of the band, 7 of them sing. Sure, you could analyze this as part of the band’s global outreach. The self-described rock band is closer to math rock than half of the self-described math rock bands around; classic rock influences them just as much as Hausa music. Their first international LP Kaani caught them at a time when they were ready to conquer more than their home country, Niger. Their follow-up, Zoy Zoy, was another step. Tantabara is the first album of theirs that feels bigger without them consciously aiming for a huge sound. 

Recorded by Jamie Carter (who engineer and mixed Zoy Zoy but did not produce it as he does Tantabara), the album is tight without being stuffy, loose without being sloppy. The title track’s 12/8 step shows you what chops the band is working with. “Entente” starts with a military-like chant and drum roll before giving way to intersecting, buzzing electric guitar lines and a solo from Yonatan Gat. “Akokas” introduces some straight-up metal shredding before committing to a groove. “Pama”, the longest, most chugging track, relies on echo and distortion to change things up along the way. “Aminiata”’s vocals, guitars, and drums are low in the mix before launching into normal levels, almost seeming like a prologue to a novel. Overall, the band’s compositions on Tantabara are at an all-time level of complexity, yet they sound like organic developments.

To top it all off, Tantabara features the best singing on any Tal National album so far. From the long screaming notes of “Belles Reines” to the soft, lovely harmonies of “Duniya” and “Trankil”, each member of the band is given the opportunity to showcase his or her unique style and tone. Tal National is a collective, but let’s not forget the individuals that make up the great band who are now 3-for-3 over their past few records. The difference with this one is it makes them essential listening.

8.2/10