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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Golden Voice of Mali has occasionally been accused of bombast, but Moffou should silence that particular criticism. It's an exquisite return to roots, and a sharp contrast with the rock and funk grooves of his previous effort, Papa. While that album featured guests such as Grace Jones, Moffou kicks off with a rustically understated duet with Cape Verdean diva Cesaria Evora. It also reunites Keita with Guinean guitarist Kante Manfila, his old colleague from Les Ambassadeurs. Keita's own surprisingly skilled fretwork can be heard on the three solo guitar-and-voice tracks that punctuate the album. The singer barely raises his voice throughout and he's backed by a soaring chorus of five female singers. Together, their call-and-response interactions underline how closely Moffou brings him back to his Maninka roots, even though none of the songs are directly based on traditional tunes. The arrangements are largely acoustic, with local instruments such as kamalengoni (youth harp) and n'goni (the West African precursor of the banjo) featuring prominently alongside touches of accordion, piano, marimba and subtle percussion. The production bathes everything in an atmospheric patina of effects, which conjures up a sensuous sub-Saharan ambience. Though there are a couple of more upbeat songs such as "Madan" and "Koukou", this is essentially a rather calm reflective set. His best work since Soro, and a must for fans of stylish but unplugged West African music --Jon Lusk.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is one of the best African CDs I've heard in a long time. Fortunately, the times of silly, artificial sounding studio instruments are over; instead, the music here is carefully recorded and mixed and tastefully arranged and played, using up-to-date studio possibilities. One has the feeling of being quite close to the musicians. The record sounds stripped down, in spite of up to more than 20 participants. Rarely has African music sounded so truly "World Music" - that is, relevant, as here. And, last not least, Salif Keita has got to have one of the most special voices now recording.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It really is a beautiful album which simply grows and grows on you.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is one of the best pieces of music I have purchased!! This voice is phenomenal and the opening track conveys so much emotion!! He could be reading from a telephone directory but I do not care!! The instrumentation, production and arranging are all top quality, Damon Albarn listen to this before making another cross over album!!
Absolutely magical!
Absolutely magical!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A musical discovery to remember
Quite simply one of the best albums I have every heard. This for me is one of the few albums that does not have any 'weak' tracks. I never grow tired of listening to it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Michael
Salif Keita's Mali Masterpiece
If you're reading this review, you will probably know that Salif Keita is Mali's most successful and internationally recognised composer/musician/singer with a history of creating... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dr. Trang
From laid-back ballads to upbeat funk - perfect and timeless
This album gets regular replays when I feel in need of calm, or tapping feet, or just memories of the amazing Malian landscape I travelled through when I first heard it, on a... Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2009 by H. Beentje
absolutely beautiful
A richly harmonious, polished offering from the Malian musician, Moffou veers from soothing vocal moments to intense instumental peaks, but retains an identity and sure-footedness... Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2007 by patrick oloan
Perfect.
This is a compelling CD with some unique music and stunning guitar work from Salif Keita.
The music is bedded in African rhythms and tonality, with backing musicians... Read more
The music is bedded in African rhythms and tonality, with backing musicians... Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2007 by M. R. N. Shackelford
Truly beautiful, predominantly acoustic return to roots
Of noble ancestry, the distinctively albino Salif Keita has been responsible for fusing Mande music with world beats. Read more
Published on 14 May 2006 by Mr. Tim Balderstone
This is good
I am new to this music and find it very satisfying; good voice pleasant acoustics and a sense of vitality that is most refreshing. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2002 by "swarde20"
Relaxed and melodic
This is the work of a confident artist, surrounded by musicians of quality. Keita's voice seems to have softened with age and the songs are mostly acoustic based with some fine... Read more
Published on 22 April 2002 by B. A. Woodhouse
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