Formed in Paris by former freedom fighter Moussa Ag Keyna and his cousin Aminatou Goumar, Toumast build on desert blues foundations laid by predecessors like Tinariwen, but add touches of jazz, hip-hop, and other contemporary styles — a reflection of their time spent in the vibrant, multicultural French music scene. Ishumar is an eclectic album with a few surprising moments (which isn’t always the case in the sometimes samey realm of desert blues), such as the sudden Tamashek rap on the rousing “Maraou Oran.” Producer Dan Levy acts almost like a third member of the band, adding his unique bass playing and rhythmic flair to several tracks throughout, such as the slow-burning rager “Kik Ayittma,” which starts with Goumar’s plaintive vocals before exploding into a rousing chant buoyed by Levy’s drumming and Ag Keyna’s intricate guitar playing.