Amadou & Mariam

Welcome to Mali

2009-05-11

Amadou & Mariam's Welcome to Mali is a really cool mixture of traditional African music and contemporary music trends. The album was produced by Damon Albarn, of The Gorillaz and Blur, and he also plays many of the instruments. As one would expect, that adds a lot of depth to the record, turning otherwise basic worldbeat songs into a hybrid of modern western pop mixed with African music. When many of the songs start it sounds like anything on top 40 radio, until Mariam Doumbia's distinct voice breaks in her native language. There's nothing ordinary about these tunes, like opener "Sabali" and "Djuru, which mixes hand drumming with drum machine tracks for a nice effect.

More reviews tagged #World

  • reviewed 06/2010

    ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING FELA!
    FELA! – ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING

  • reviewed 06/2005

    Femi Kuti
    Live at the Shrine

  • reviewed 11/2010

    MYSTIC ROOTS BAND
    CALI-HI

  • reviewed 10/2004

    Gotan Project
    Inspiracion-Espiracion Remix

  • reviewed 01/2007

    JOHANNES WELCH, DAVID HESS AND PAUL HINGER
    Stunderthorm

  • reviewed 05/2008

    Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich + Fussible
    Tijuana Sound Machine

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.