The sixth album by the griot Zal Sissokho is announced with a clear title: a return to “the source”, after years of approaching the traditions of his adopted land (The palaver2017) or those of Latin America (Kora flamenco, 2020). A return home, to Montreal, surrounded by the precious collaborators of the Buntalo orchestra: Élage Diouf, director, guitarist Diely Mori Tounkara and Djely Tapa, whose smiling voice cuts through the melancholy of the splendid Labannya. We will overlook some outdated orchestral choices, organ sounds and pop-rock drums from a bygone era of musical mixing, to celebrate the liveliness of the compositions most faithful to the Mandinka song of Senegal of origin by the Montreal Korist and singer : with its frenetic rhythm and sinuous melody, Djeliya is of great beauty, as are the Kela which follows in the second half of the album, its groove swaying rocking the rough voice of Sissokho, and Badinyawith its admirably delicate percussion.
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