How to keep progressing without abandoning your roots? Malian legend Oumou Sangaré is back with the answer.
It’s been 8 years since one of Mali’s most prominent singers and Wassoulou music master Oumou Sangaré gave us a new full-length album. And a lot has changed in her sound during that time. Surprisingly, she seems younger than ever, though of course you’ll recognize her trademark style the first second she starts singing.
The new sound of her new album “Mogoya” partly comes from France, as now she’s got a French label and French producers, who helped her get a bit of distance from “traditional” influences. The impressive single “Kalemba” is a great example here, as local instruments – donso ngoni (a.k.a. hunter’s harp) and smaller kamale ngoni – are seamlessly suplemented by thick synth waves.
Outlooking but always in touch with her original influences, on “Mogoya” Oumou Sangaré demonstrates how to be a modern musician without abandoning your past.
Stream “Mogoya” LP here.
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