Folila
With contributions from Santigold, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, and members of TV on the Radio, the Malian duo clearly have genre fusion in mind on their latest.
For world music fans, a new album from Mali’s Amadou and Miriam is always something to get excited about. For the last…
On 2012's Folila (which translates as "music" in Bambara), Mali's famed Amadou & Mariam, the husband-and-wife duo, effortlessly prove that "purist" alarm calls about melding popular and traditional musics across geographies because they dilute authenticity are not only inherently false, but their motivations are suspect.
For a visually impaired husband and wife duo from Mali, Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia have an impressive knack of befriending international superstars. Over the last 20 years they've racked up a stellar roster of heavyweight accomplices – including U2, Blur and Coldplay – all eager to affiliate themselves with their Afro-rhythmic grooves.
Western guest stars serve to hinder rather than help the brilliant couple from Mali, writes <strong>Neil Spencer</strong>
Folila speaks both to the increasing currency of African pop and the shrinking size of the world.
An album that treads water is saved by the diversity of its guest contributors. CD review by Howard Male