Customer Reviews

Sinikan

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Ornate, expansively arranged West African music, very much in keeping with the world-pop crossovers of Youssou N'Dour, Habib Koite, Toumane Diabate and others. Bambino is one of the younger Guinean griots, son of singer Marlama Samoura, a popular vocalist during the late 1960s. Bambino's approach is pretty adventurous and varied; on with a hip-hop flavored tune, "Promesse," a duet with Parisian-based Senegalese rapper Diziz La Peste. Kinda slick, but kinda nice!

The future of music is not in the US, which veers disasterously between thudding repititious rap, and belly button pop. Instead, look elsewhere, music lovers. In particular, Africa has really cultivated an intensely brilliant culture that produces the most compelling contemporary music to be found anywhere. There are the reformed and glorious Orchestra Baobab, Youssou N'Dour and Saleif Keita, all of whom have released stellar CDs in the past few months. The brilliant Mailian guitarist, Habib Koite, is preparing his next release, Cesaria Evora is finally getting the recognition she so truly deserves, and add to that estimable list
Sinikan Bambino Diabate, who has just turned in the first truly great CD of 2003.
From the opening blast, this Cd jumps, dances and insinuates its rhythms with a seductive percolation. Sinikan is descended from a long line of griots, and in his case, seeks not so much to harken back with his inherited gifts but cast his vision forward. As you listen, you'll hear tonalities shared with N'Dour, but with a much more in your face arrangement style that grabs you out of your seat. The dance rhythms are terrific. His French producer has mastered a terrifc blend of instruments that give this all the excitement of Motown at its best. Sinikan's messages are those of love, culture and concern for the future of his community. His sinewy way with his lyrics leave you exhilaratingly captivated.
Africans seem to have found a way to take rap and hip-hop out of its formulaic reptition and breathe life into it. Youssou has done it, and here you'll find Sinikan raising the artistic bar far beyond the imagination of its American purveyors. Elements of jazz, r & b and that quintessential African guitar sound fill in the palette of colours at his disposal, and Sinikan makes the most of all of them.
This is a great CD. Go out and buy it NOW! Hopefully a support tour is launched. In fact, it's time a number of these terrific musicians got a chance to demonstarte to North America that not all is lost. Hope exists. And what a wonderful sound it has!