I've decided that I'm over the album cycle routine. I really do not care about staying on trend with releases. Instead, I'm just going to use this blog to write about whatever I find interesting while prioritizing music that has dropped within the past ten years. To that end, I want to talk about Sekou Bah. Sekou is a Malian multi-instrumentalist whose background in jazz informs his 2018 album Soukabbe Mali, a voyage into the lapping tides of afrobeat and Caribean music, combining more traditional aspects of Malian folk music into more popular, global styles to unleash their universalist appeal and convey a message of cross-cultural, and cross-generational respect. It’s a pretty relaxing sonic expose that is perfect for a summer night when the moon is full and the air is still and warm. Throughout the entire album, Sekou sings in his native tongue, which does nothing to obscure the content of his clandestine, communiqué of comradery. There are hip wiggling groves paired with sensual melodies on “Dogon Oulon," while funk guitars give life to a plaintive ballad on “Nge Mounkila," and soulful riffs and interjecting bass-heavy percussion (with the odd, propulsive, semi-blast-beat... really) guide the title track “Soukabbe Mali.” The infectious rhythm of “Wari Tigui” has a danceable pull, and the plucky, jazzy guitar riffs which tango with call and response vocals form the bedrock of “Fifi.” The album is partially dedicated to Sekou’s bassist, Amadou Keita, who tragically died in an automobile accident just weeks after recording the album. Soukabbe Mali is an album about struggle, sure, but also peace and kindness, and it might sound corny, but god damn do we need more to both these days.
