I think I tried to hype Rokia Traoré with some success already in our yearly poll at the end of 2008. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a big sensation!
The Mandé Variations is a masterpiece, but a very demanding one. Listening to this album requires absolute silence, focus, for it is a mystical experience.
I've been to this part of Africa and every note feels like a sun ray (or a raindrop, depends on the season).
I can picture the red clay, the green grass that spurs in the rainy season, the people, the children everywhere.
Toumani is universal. A virtuoso, yes, but much more than that, a true artist. A magician.
