Baaba Maal Makes a Refreshing Electropop Return with ‘Being’
Worldbeat master Baaba Maal’s musical homecoming on Being is not myopic or static but embraces motion through space, time, and sound.
african music
Ibrahim Maalouf and Angélique Kidjo Celebrate the Return of the ‘Queen of Sheba’
Ibrahim Maalouf and Angelique Kidjo reinvent the Solomon-Sheba legend as a cross-cultural story with contemporary resonance on Queen of Sheba.
The Good Ones’ ‘Rwanda…You See Ghosts, I See Sky’ Reaches Staggering Depths
The Good Ones’ raw truths and achingly beautiful music reach staggering depths on Rwanda… You See Ghosts, I See Sky.
Oumou Sangaré Sings True Blues on the Brilliant ‘Timbuktu’
For as much as “Malian blues” is thrown around in talking about everything from Tinariwen to Touré, Oumou Sangaré’s Timbuktu truly delivers on such a phrase.
Amadou & Mariam’s 10-Year-Old ‘Folila’ Has Always Been a Masterpiece
In collaborating with hip indie acts, Amadou & Mariam met with critical rebuke. Ten years on, Folila is a masterpiece that bridges the gap between two sonic worlds.
Zimbabwean Sungura Fortifies the Spirit on Gonora Sounds’ ‘Hard Times Never Kill’
Gonora Sounds’ Daniel Gonora sings about economic crises, tragic deaths, and social struggles from his personal history and the lives of those around him.
Kasai Allstars Release Vivid Video for Khalab’s Afrofuturist Remix (premiere)
In an electric new video, Kasai Allstars’ constant beats, gorgeous scenery shots, and Khalab’s Afrofuturist beats come together at top speed.
Jeremy Loops Teams with Ladysmith Black Mambazo for “This Town” (premiere)
South Africa’s Jeremy Loops and legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo combine for “This Town”, a powerful new Afropop song full of hope and a killer melody.
Angélique Kidjo Continues to Shine with Timely ‘Mother Nature’
The common thread on Mother Nature is Angélique Kidjo’s energy, shining through in a voice that never seems to lose strength or agility.
Kasai Allstars Breathe New Life Into the Congotronics Series
Black Ants sees the Kasai Allstars tap into a new dimension of vitality and points to refreshing new possibilities for the Congotronics series.
‘Listen All Around: The Golden Age of Central and East African Music’ Is a Worthy Primer for Any Adventurous Listener
During the musical explosion of the 1950s, ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey traversed Sub-Saharan Africa to record a breadth of songs across many styles. This compilation contains some of the best he came up with.
The Hard Workers – “Ayoba Yo” (audio) (premiere)
In this exclusive interview with DJ Okapi, he takes us through the development of the unique variety of South African EDM from the late 1980s.
