Samba Toure
– Gandadiko (Glitterbeat)
LP/CD/DL
26 February
2015
Malian Songhai-blues
master returns with his new album.
With 2013s
Albala album, Samba Toure made what was widely acclaimed as the best album of
his life. At the age of 45 he sculpted
an album that painted a sorry picture of the troubles and political crisis in
his homeland. His new album, maintains
the position in Mali but now offers hope despite the title roughly translating
as Burning Land.
Largely
influenced by Blues which Toure combines with traditional instrumentation,
Gandadiko is also a mix of dance, funk and pshychedelia. Toure Idje Bibi (Black Fruits) for instance
is as addictive as it gets with a groove that resonates throughout the songs
length and an infectious hook which surprisingly stays long after it has
finished.
Where Samba
seems to succeed when others fail is in his trueness and openness to his
music. His lyrics are not compromised
when complex backing is brought in and the overall feel of the album does bring
about a sense of uplift.
Whilst he
has the advantage of hindsight whereby he can teach his family the benefits of
positivity it is in his music that he spreads the word to nations. On Su Wilile (The Living Dead) he warns of
alcohol and drugs using the story of an old friend whose life has been taken over
by alcoholism.
Hope does
spring eternal in album closer Woye Kate (Come Back Home), a duet with Ahmed Ag
Kaedi from Tuareg band Amanar, where the prospect of talk and communication
begins to supersede the chances of war. “We shall reconstruct the Country, and
we won’t let anyone speak for us again”.
It’s an optimistic thought but one which spans the ten tracks on the
album.
Toure’s
guitar playing throughout is accomplished and ever changing, a true talent in
todays World music scene.
8/10
Links
Glitterbeat Records
Samba Toure website
Samba Toure on Twitter
Samba Toure on Facebook
8/10
Links
Glitterbeat Records
Samba Toure website
Samba Toure on Twitter
Samba Toure on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment