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.ROKIA TRAORE
Tchamantche
JOHANNES WELCH, DAVID HESS AND PAUL HINGER
Stunderthorm
CURUMIN
- Japan Pop Show
ANGELIQUE KIDJO
Djin Djin
VARIOUS
PUTUMAYO WORLD PARTY
The Reptile Palace Orchestra
We Know You Know
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