Amadou mariam welcome to mali rar

It's not every day you hear an African record that uses ELO as a touchstone, but this song does it to devastating emotional effect. That opening shot is part of an eclectic landscape that at times sounds West African and at others sounds completely divorced from geography.

Welcome to Mali , however, seems a strange title for a record that sounds so global. Sequencing is important, too-- the Western strings of "I Follow You" come on the heels of the solo-bowed instrument that lends a place-less feel to "Bozos". Amadou's guitar is a little less prominent on this record than the last, but close listening reveals impressive stylistic dexterity as he moves from simple strumming to fluid melodic playing to staccato rhythmic patterns inspired by the Malian ngoni, a cousin of the guitar.

Ivorian reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoli drops in on one track and it feels completely natural. Pianos aren't common in Africa because the weather makes it tough to keep them in tune, but there's piano all over this album, and it sounds great rubbing up against koras string West African harp and balafons West African marimba. On the title track, Amadou's guitar accents the chorus with big, bent surf chords, and it sounds not only logical but inevitable. People this amazingly talented and open to new sounds and ideas rarely remain obscure, especially after so many years honing their craft and building their catalog.

The rest of the set -- whose only real flaw is how long it is -- is filed with infectious Malian folk music threaded through with European pop influences. And does it ever work. The best cuts, such as "Compagnon de la Vie" with its funky Hammond B-3, "Ce N'Est Pas Bon" with its driving guitar and marimbas, and the traditional "Djuru" are simply infectious with their rhythmic invention and meld of voices. There is even a love song in English here, "I Follow You," that works despite the corny lyrics.

The title track -- also in English -- is pure funky goodness with its killer meld of Malian folk forms, perfusion, and European-style street funk. AllMusic relies heavily on JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to use the site fully. Blues Classical Country. Electronic Folk International. Jazz Latin New Age. Aggressive Bittersweet Druggy. Energetic Happy Hypnotic. Romantic Sad Sentimental.

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