Dougou Badia, the new digital EP from Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, is out today. The four-song EP includes "Dougou Badia," the first song off Amadou & Mariam's forthcoming album, Folila, which is due out on April 2. Santigold, who co-wrote the song with Mariam, joins her on vocals. Also included are an alternate mix of the song by Danger Mouse cohort Kennie Takahashi; the album track “Oh Amadou” (with Bertrand Cantat); and a live version of “Wily Kataso” from Eclipse, a show staged in complete darkness at the 2011 Manchester International Festival.
Dougou Badia, the new digital EP from Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, is out today on Because Music / Nonesuch Records, available on iTunes, Amazon, and in the Nonesuch Store. The four-song EP includes "Dougou Badia," the first song off Amadou & Mariam's forthcoming album, Folila, which is due out on April 2. Santigold, who co-wrote the song with Mariam, joins her on vocals. Also included are an alternate mix of the song by Danger Mouse cohort Kennie Takahashi; the album track “Oh Amadou” (with Bertrand Cantat); and a live version of “Wily Kataso” from Eclipse, a show staged in complete darkness at the 2011 Manchester International Festival.
Over the course of the last several years, Amadou & Mariam’s music has become increasingly expansive, while remaining anchored by their trademark West African blues-rock. Manu Chao and Gorillaz front man Damon Albarn, in addition to their longtime producer/manager Marc-Antoine Moreau, have produced their recordings. In the same spirit of openness, the self-billed Blind Couple from Mali played a key role in Albarn’s multi-artist Africa Express concerts, and, more recently, performed informal L’Afrik C’est Chic jam sessions with various special guests in London and New York. Folila, their forthcoming album, epitomizes their embrace of collaboration, with contributions by Santigold, TV on the Radio, Nick Zinner, Theophilus London, Bassekou Kouyate, and others.
Folila is produced by Marc-Antoine Moreau, who has worked with the duo for the entirety of their professional career. They recorded the basic tracks in New York and then re-recorded them in Bamako. For the final album, they chose tracks from both sessions. From the first few seconds of the opening track, “Dougou Badia,” the music is instantly recognizable, with Amadou’s signature electric guitar soon joined by Mariam’s distinctive voice. Santigold, who co-wrote the song with Mariam, joins her on vocals. Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) complements Amadou on guitar on this and other tracks.
Other notable collaborations include “Wily Kataso,” featuring TV on the Radio, and “Nebe Miri,” with the hip-hop artist Theophilus London. Bassekou Kouyate, another Malian artist who has accomplished a remarkable crossover in the US, plays ngoni on several songs.
Stay tuned for more information on the release of Folila in the coming weeks.
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