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Djabaté is from the pocket-sized Guinea Bissau which is nestled in between Senegal and Guinea. A griot by birth, Djabaté’s ensemble blends instruments of the praise-singing tradition with modern instruments, very much in the mould of Toumani Diabaté’s Symmetric Orchestra. The similarities in ensemble sound are striking but Kimi’s music is intrinsically relaxed and less dance-oriented than Toumani’s. As well as the guitar, his instrument is the balafón (the African xylophone) and its gentle timbre seems to set the lilting tone of Karam.

Kimi’s music may be laidback but the themes he sings about — war, polygamy and women’s rights — go right to the heart of African life. ‘Mogolu’, a song bemoaning economic inequalities, has the ring of the late, great Ali Farka Touré to it, both in Kimi’s bluesy guitar work and the call-and-response vocals he trades with his talented backing singers. Other influences also seem to come from Mali, but also from further afield. Title track ‘Karam’ and other slinky medium-paced songs like ‘Djombé’ mirror Amadou et Mariam in their sunny pop sensibility and produced sound effects, while the sounds of Afrobeat and Latin rhythms also play their part.

As other ensembles have discovered, striking a balance when merging old and new isn’t always easy. I would like to hear more of Kimi’s entrancing praise songs which suit his voice better than the poppier tracks where he sometimes sounds forced. Probably the most gorgeous track of all is the tribute that Kimi offers to his mother, ‘Ná’, which in its simple melody seems to communicate a deep yearning for home. Overall, an album of beautiful sounds and messages. There is much to recommend on Karam and over time, Kimi Djabaté will fine-tune his music until he finds that balance.