BAABA MAAL - Being - LP - Vinyl [APR 21]

LP - Black Vinyl. 

Born to a family of fishermen, he defied expectation to become a musician, challenging the traditional monopoly the ancient griot caste had on information and music. Since first making albums in the early 1980s he has developed a highly distinctive sound radically fusing traditional African instruments with an increasingly adventurous electronic approach. He has released a series of acclaimed solo albums and recorded with an increasingly varied range of collaborators including Brian Eno, Radiohead producer John Leckie and Damon Albarn. In 2015, he recorded The Traveller for Marathon Artists with producer Johan Hugo (The Very Best, Self Esteem) and collaborated with Mumford & Sons, reflecting his passion for blurring diverse musical forms.

In 2018 he was featured on the soundtrack of Black Panther, and establishes himself as the Voice of Wakanda in the sequel, 2022's Wakanda Forever. His new album, Being, released in 2023, is a powerful continuation of his pioneering, transcendent work over the last forty years blending the ancient and the modern. Continuing his exciting partnership with Johan Hugo, it was recorded in Brooklyn, London and Senegal and confirms Maal's position as one of the most uniquely compelling musicians in the world. About Being, Baaba says; "Each song of this album has its own personality, which is something that I always want in a record, songs that all have really strong personality. Because for me, a song is like a person. It has a life, it has a name, it has a character, and it has a position in life. And I think what makes this album so powerful is that it is totally about now, and where I am now, and the dreams I have of the past and the future." 

Tracklist:

1. Yarimayo Celebration
2. Freak Out
3. Ndungu Ruumi
4. Agreement
5. Boboyillo
6. Mbeda Wella
7. Casamance Nights