As you're cleaning your house again this weekend, or cooking an elaborate meal for no guests, or simply washing your hands for the upteenth time, you'll want a good soundtrack, so here's a quintet of great albums, released today, for you to listen to. If you need to rock, need to chill, need to contemplate, we've got you.
Available today:
Bamba Wassoulou Groove, Dankélé: Malian hypnotic Afro-rock, on Lusafrica. Recommended If You Like: Songhoy Blues, Samba Touré.
Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabate: Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions & The Ripple Effect A banjo in search of its ancestors, a rerelease of Fleck's 2009 and 2010 music composed with African musicians and a collection of live collaborations with kora master Toumani Diabate on Craft Recordings. RIYL: the banjo, Bassekou Kouyate, bluegrass, Ballaké Sissoko
El Buho, Ramas: Atmospheric electrocustic South American folk on Wonderwheel Recordings. RIYL: Novalima, Chancha Via Circuito.
Hailu Mergia, Yene Mircha: A roomy, loose full-length from the Ethio-jazz master of the second act on Awesome Tapes from Africa. RIYL: Mulatu Astatke, Akalé Wubé.
Tamikrest, Tamotait: Slower, still-intense and nuanced Tuareg desert blues on Glitterbeat Records. RIYL: Tinarawin, Mariem Hassan.
