Amadou & Mariam

The musicians known as the 'blind couple from Mali' were one of the first bands away from the mainstream that I really got into, almost all of the other African musicians I know now have stemmed from discovering Amadou and Mariam. Due to this, I always get a sense of nostalgia when I hear their older songs and although they sing in either French or Bambara, I often think music is more about the overall sound, with lyrics and song meaning sometimes taking a back seat, enjoying it none the less. This is especially true with Amadou and Mariam, as many of their songs are a declaration of love for each other, which could get tedious. Though Mariam Doumbia's voice isn't always as easy on the ear as that of other famous female Malian vocalists like Rokia Traoré or Oumou Sangaré, it is occasionally endearingly eerie but always highly emotive. The first video I have posted is one of my favourites from their most recent album 'Welcome to Mali', it is by far the most electronic sounding with a distinctive beat and sound effects that aren't too dissimilar to what Crystal Castles may use. Below that is the song 'La Paix', another example of a Mariam based track where she sings about African solidarity and is from their album 'Dimanche à Bamako', featuring and produced by Manu Chao. 'Les Temps Ont Changé' is the name of the third song below, from 'Wati' which was the last album before the previously mentioned Manu Chao brought them to a much wider audience throughout the world, with Amadou providing lead vocals. Finally, I posted a live version of 'Sebeke', another song from their latest album and includes some great backup dancers.