The Mali star returns with an third album, mixing Afro-futurism and feminism wassoulou traditions and western, but also celebrating her links the UK and and collaborations, notably with co-producer Damon Albarn, and other guest including Angie Stone and Roberto Fonseco. It’s an exhilarating, eclectic album upbeat energy and her vibrant vocals as well as guitar playing, Albarn regularly on keyboards and co-writing six of the 14 songs. Opener Nsera has that classic Gorillaz pop alongside Malian influence, Somaw with Angie Stone has a jazz-funk flavour, Sete is one of two songs on the album powerfully addressing the practice of FGM. Massa Den (featuring -M-) is a cool, stylish electronica/rock fusion. Blues, featuring the brilliant Cuban pianist Fonseca, is very much led by the fast, syncopated pace of drums and jazz piano, mixing in upbeat English lyrics about a musical family, while Moussoya is a beautiful, slower acoustic number with decorated by a tenderer side to Diawara’s voice sweeping, ethereal vocal harmonies. Mogokan is a more traditional-style tribute to brotherhood featuring Ghanaian rapper M.anifest. And Tolon, with Nigerian star Yemi Alade, has a gorgeously playful momentum, all of which interweaving Diawara’s music and voice seamlessy. Out on Montuno Producciones/ 3ème Bureau / Wagram Music.
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