Every Friday, The World Africa presents three new musical releases from or inspired by the continent. This week, head to Senegal with the albums of the Niofar collective, the group Ndox Electrique and the drummer Mokhtar Samba.
“Unity”, by Niofar
From Rodez, in the south of France, to Louga, in the north of Senegal: this is the geography of the album Melting Buddies, published Friday November 3 and signed by the Niofar collective (“together”, in Wolof). This project headed by the musician and cultural mediator Francis Esteves alias “Cisco” was initiated by three ociations, Prodiges and Aéroson on the Aveyron side, Njaambuur Hip-Hop on the Senegalese side. The idea: to bring together artists from the two countries in order to produce in ten days, in November 2022, a rap album in Wolof, French, Fulani and Occitan, mixing electronics and acoustics (kora, percussion and balafon). Profits from sales will be used to finance cultural projects in Louga.
“He Yay Naliné”, by Ndox Electrique
A little further north is Saint-Louis. It was there that François Cambuzat and Gianna Greco recorded, under the name Ndox Electrique (“ndox” meaning “water” in Wolof) and in collaboration with local percussionists and singers, the album Ted ak Mame Coumba Langa ak Mame Coumba Mbang, which will be released on November 10. The duo had already distinguished themselves within the Ifriqiyya Electrique group by exploring the Tunisian “banga”, a mysticism close to the gnawa trance in Morocco. This time, he is interested in “n’doëp”, a theutic trance practiced by the Lébou. The result, experimental, is disconcerting to say the least, oscillating between heavy rock guitars, captivating vocals and unbridled percussion.
“Liguey (Fenel)”, by Mokhtar Samba
After rap and rock, we change register again with Mokhtar Samba, drummer who released the album in mid-October Safar (“journey”, in Arabic). Of Moroccan and Senegalese origins, this man in the shadows who accompanied the greatest (Youssou Ndour, Carlos Santana, Manu Dibango, Richard Bona…) intends to bring together in this disc “Western harmony, African rhythms and Bedouin chants”. And indeed, we find these different horizons throughout the sixteen titles of the opus and sometimes even within a single piece, like Liguey (Fenel), in collaboration with the Senegalese bist and singer Alune Wadeone of the many guests on this jazz album without borders.
Find all the editorial’s musical favorites in the YouTube playlist of World Africa.