The from the West African country of Mali forms a rich and solid basis from which Malian artists can develop their own and contemporary style, often with bluesy-sounding influences. The singer-songwriter and guitarist Rokia Traoré, who lives alternately in Mali and France, has developed a very idiosyncratic style, Malian and modern at the same time: light vocals, refined melodies and subtle,
… minimalist arrangements. In previous albums she still used traditional instruments, on her fourth album Tchamantché only the n'goni, a Malian lute and electric (Gretsch) guitars and drums can be heard. Traoré's compositions, however, sound unmistakably African, due to the propelling African rhythms and the singing in the Bambara language. On the album produced by Phil Brown, Traoré sings about Zen meditation, love, the exodus of Africans to Europe and the proud history of Africa. With her flawless, slightly vibrating voice, which whispers and growls but usually caresses pleasantly, Traoré takes us on her fascinating voyage of discovery. A pearl of an album that more and more reveals its richness with each listen. (SvdP)more
