Fatou

This debut album is truly delightful. Combining lovely melodies with strong, simple rhythms, delicate guitar-playing and striking vocals, Fatoumata Diawara marks herself out as a rising star of modern Malian singer-songwriters. There are serious messages to a number of her songs (the lyrics are translated in the extensive liner notes), including Bissa (arranged marriage) and Boloko (female circumcision), but there is just as much of the bright & playful side of Fatou on Bakonoba and her ode to love - Kanou. The album has been beautifully produced, as you would expect from World Circuit, and that allows Fatou & her songs to simply shine.

The autumn leaves are falling, you go to work in the dark and return in the dark and the winter chill seems poised to enter our lives. Why not therefore get a final blast of summer before the permafrost descends by purchasing this vibrant feast of Malian music from the brilliant Fatoumata Diawara who recently stole the show on Jools Holland. Hailing from Southern Mali and singing in her native Wassoulou language, Diawara determined to make it as an actress in Paris but found that the draw of music proved a far stronger primal urge. The loss to the Thespian profession is music lovers massive gain since "Fatou" is a stunning record full of colour, verve, rhythm and excitement. It is one of the best African music LPs you will hear but it is also much more than that. The swirling melodic guitars of this record combined with the multilayered vocals show a real soul/funk sensibility at work combined with lyrics which we are told pulse with the concerns of social justice not least denouncing arranged marriage and female circumcision. What some might see as a language barrier in terms of lyrical understanding actually adds to the sheer beauty of the record since it makes for an entrancing backdrop and the musical force of the songs carries all in their wake.

The laid-back funky opener "Kanou" is a fine start with its hypnotic vocal and pulsating bass interwoven with gentle acoustic guitar lines which dance around the song like a summer breeze. The second song in is "Sowa" which is irresistible and hugely commercial, indeed it is surprising that Western singers are resisting the temptation to draw inspiration from this deep well. One song which might just be the "first amongst equals" in album of standouts is "Bakonoba" which David Byrne would have died to record in Talking Heads and which draws in music from across the Atlantic in terms of the intoxicating mix branded with the label AfroCubism. It is utterly infectious and the African guitar playing the best this side of Tinarwaren . The mood quietens for the sumptuous guitar ballad "Alama" which was such as show-stopper on Jools Holland where you can see the elegant Diawara in all her glory. Another song "Willie" also plays to the more tender side of Diawara and the sheer emotion and range of Fatoumata Diawara's voice demonstrates a force of nature at work. The good old Daily Telegraph has described Diawara as "the most beguiling talent to hit the world music scene in some time". On the evidence of the entirety of "Fatou" and songs such as the brilliant closer "Clandestin" we are seeing yet another music artist from Mali poised for world domination which would be just reward for one of 2011's best albums.

PS Can I thank One more opinion for pointing out a silly typo in this original review posting.

Joyful and reflective in equal measure, Fatou is a superb debut album by this hugely talented Paris-based Malian sensation. My album of the year for 2011, first impressions were confirmed when seeing her at London's Jazz Cafe. Fatoumata Diawara is simply superb - soulful vocals, delicate and intricate guitar playing, backed up by rythmic percussion - the album has everything. From the beautiful, reflective tracks, Wilile and Clandestin, to the catchy dance tracks, Bakonoba and Bissa (single from the album), this album has something for everyone who loves African music. Highly recommended