There were very few signs of modern-day Niger on the musical map until the arrival of Mamar Kassey. The group hit the scene in a big way at the Festival des Nuits Atypiques in Langon in 1998. As cutting as the wind that sculpts the desert, their songs transport us to the very edge of the Sahel, home of age-old, extremely refined civilizations and peoples. Peul, Songhai, Zerma, Hausa - a wealth of different cultures, a wealth of rhythms, dances and special instruments, all surrender their deepest secrets into the hands of this talented group, to give a highly sophisticated art, modern, original and open to everyone.

“This kicking roots band from Niger pricked up ears around the world with their debut international release, Denké-Denké. The follow-up is equally impressive, with slamming arrangements, desert dry vocals, swinging drum-and-plucked-string grooves, and searing Fulani flute breaks that will send chills down your spine. As deep and powerful as the best roots pop bands in Mali, Mamar Kassey also manage the high-energy drive of a Nigerian juju band, resulting in one of the most exciting new sounds to come out of Africa in the past five years."
- Songlines