Mauritania has a population of only 3 million, and no record industry to create or disseminate music across its vast sandbanks.  Although they get much less exposure than their Malian neighbors to the East, Mauritanians are expert guitarchitects of frantic bliss.  They have been playing lutes (locally known as xalams or tidinits) for centuries, and thus they were warmed up and ready once the electric guitar migrated their way.  Tune in to this week’s episode, and hear ancient Mauritanian sounds transcend the modern soundscape…

Or if you prefer, we could make the old and new battle it out for ultimate supremacy:

And while you hear, lend an ear to this beautifully bizarre new Circus-Dub band from England: