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Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali

The world’s least likely superstars are back with an album that takes the winning formula of Dimanche a Bamako to the next level. More guests, more meddling with their sound, more English and well why not, a bit of Damon Albarn

Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali

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And despite all that or maybe, grudgingly I would admit, because of it, it seems to be just as good or even better than its predecessor. Damon Albarn does a production number on the opening track worthy of Air. La la las and synthy bubble bliss. It’s really quite something and I predict it will be no more easily contained within the world music scene than the more catchy tracks off Dimanche a Bamako were. The next track is another winner and somehow has the ‘participation’ of Damon’ but it is not clear on my copy what that might be — anyway ‘Ce n’est pas bon’ is a misleading title if ever there were one.

The fun continues with Dusty Foot Knaan treating Africa like a beautiful woman. East Coast / West Coast business indeed. Keziah Jones joins in on ‘Unissons Nous’ but too much guitar can get a bit busy at times. Even less well-advised perhaps is Amadou’s touching but clumsy debut to singing in English ‘I Follow You’. Flat footed vocals are not helped by adding what Motown used to call the ‘sweetening’. Ironically, this track could easily become a cheesy monster hit and if it did, it couldn’t happen to a nicer couple.

Working much better with a hell of a hook and what sounds like a wah wah Jew’s harp is ‘Welcome to Mali’ - a little English goes a long way here and the balance is back to what they do best: energetic guitar music with great harmonies. Great stuff.



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