The best albums of 2021

“Afrique Victime”. By Mdou Moctar
The most vital, thrilling rock music of the past decade has often come not from Britain or America, but from west Africa—specifically from Tuareg musicians playing what has become known as “desert blues”. In the wake of Tinariwen and Imarhan (and others), Mdou Moctar has established himself as the new figurehead of the scene. He is an astounding guitarist, but it’s never shredding for the sake of it: every note on “Afrique Victime” served the melody, not the player’s ego.