The Malian band return with a vibrant fourth LP exploring their desert musical roots with more of an acoustic and intricately rhythmic sound than their previous more electrified, distinctive African blues-rock, and includes an appearance on vocals by Rokia Koné and other more traditional instrument guest musicians. Norou, featuring Koné on shared vocals, is a particularly beautiful track. Overall here the core band of Garba Touré, Aliou Touré, Oumar Touré, and Nathanael Dembélé this time, alongside guests, sound more like their Tuareg contemporaries Tinariwen. But as with previous albums, on subjects such as fleeing civil war and other issues of social injustice, there’s always serious substance behind these beautiful, sweet sounds. A short documentary shown below explains the meanings of various songs including Issa (protection of the environment, particularly on river pollution), Toukambela is an advice song about cultural heritage, recycles traditional melodies brings in traditional instrument playing guests including Harouna Samaké and Mamadou Sadiki, while Gara is about societal values and parental and ancestral wisdom. Dagabi meanwhile is about hyprocrisy, with a fabulously bright melody played by Néba Solo on the African balafon, a type of marimba. Even without understanding the profound and potently educational substance of every song, this is a richly rewarding album in which the music itself also speaks volumes about human past, present and future. Out on Studio Mali / Transgressive Records.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Whether it’s about this or others, feel free to recommend more new albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running