Since the release of his international breakthrough Soro in 1987, the Malian singer-songwriter Salif Keita, possessed of a sweetly soulful tone, has been affectionately known as the “Golden Voice of Africa”. His genre-spanning work has featured collaborations with psychedelic guitarist Santana, jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Jamaican singer Buju Banton. On So Kono, his first album in seven years, Keita returns with an unusually sparse sound featuring guitar, ngoni, calabash, tama and cello.
The joy of the record lies in Keita’s mature voice, huskier now at 75 and settling into a lower, rumbling register that contrasts with his falsetto. On Aboubakrin and Tassi, he sings over simple, looped ngoni refrains, his raw vocals carrying poignant emotion. While the percussive layering on Soundiata is somewhat jarring, there are many moments of stripped-back beauty. Kanté Manfila finds Keita veering from gravelly whispers to yearning yelps, while highlight Proud showcases his incredibly nimble delivery, weaving through the string melody to reach a soaring climax and proving that the Golden Voice is still full of power.
