Baaba Maal (born 13 June 1953) is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.Maal sings primarily in Pulaar and promotes the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking people, who live on either side of the Senegal River in the ancient Senegalese kingdom of Futa Tooro.
There’s very cool things happening on this album, cool time signatures, cool singing and an expansive African inflected palette. But I’m constantly distracted by the dated synth effects, the synth horns, etc. simply ruins songs for me. I was eventually won over into thinking this wasn’t awful, but among the 4s and 3s there were some 1s and 2s in my track by track ratings. 2
I'm not worldly enough in my musical listening to appreciate this the way I should. Unfortunately, I don't really listen to much of it.
A great reminder of my chosen life philosophy to have little to no expectations for anything good so that even the slightest deviation above nothing feels like a gift from the gawd of love. This album is Baaba's gift to those expecting another monotonous dirge. How delightful to hear a couple drums now and then, and a goofy synth here and there. Even melody. And as nice as that is, I think we all can agree this is number 1002 on albums we must hear before we die. D+
I already listened to Baaba Maal's earlier album with Mansour Seck for this list, and I dug that one. This one is less driven by acoustic guitar (which is a welcome change), and there's more of a worldbeat//fusion vibe. It's enjoyable and Maal is clearly a talent - but the whole thing has a contrived crossover feel that cheapens it. From looking online, it seems most streams and info relate to the 1993 mix of the album, which has even more of a brash, commercial and dated 1990s sound. I'm basing my rating on the 1992 mix which at least has more of an organic atmosphere. I'm glad there's some African music on the list, but it feels like the editors didn't dig very deep here. 3*
I enjoyed listening to this and it was interesting, but lacking the language or any real cultural basis in the music, I think my ability to appreciate it is pretty limited.
Bangeer!
Atmospheric world music, in places etherial or upbeat. An album I very much enjoyed but I doubt I would listen to again.
This is as funky and "rootsy" as it gets, and I am a total sucker for funk. Couldn't sit still in my seat while listening to this. Also couldn't find an English translation of the lyrics online, which is a huge shame as lyrics are a huge contributing factor for me. Either way, 4 stars for the original sound and lovely voice.
Really something unique to listen to
Loved it! Very different from what I usually listen, but feels very familiar in some way .
Absolutely LOVE this album! From the year I was born too! Loved that last Baaba Maal album that came up and this follows, I maybe even prefer this one! Toro has such a moreish sound and the opening Yela is another major highlight. Delicious album! Can't fault it. Love that he's promoting and championing traditions of the Pulaar-speaking people.
Perfect Vibes!
Another easy listen. African albums hit different.
I have always been a fan of international music and this is a good artist to add.
Loved it. Need to listen more to full appreciate.
Unexpected and groovy
I was sitting by a waterfall and put this on - and felt instantly transported to some other place. I had never heard of Lam Toro but these songs were fantastic and are definitely worth hearing before you die.
I listened to this on a plane, coming home from a vacation with my oldest and dearest whom I only see in person once a year or so. So I was a little sad but this music made me happy. Very fine.
This was my first exposure to Baaba Maal for me that I know of. It was a treat and I enjoyed being introduced.
I love when I'm exposed to an artist/genre like this and it just clicks with me. I loved listening to this and will play this in the future. I'm always wary when anything international makes this list, but this was a wonderful listen for me.
started off not really clicking with me despite how amazing his voice is and a love for music with similar timbres but by the end of the last track I was in a daze and hadn't realised how moved I was for past however many minutes. Then checking the release date and it was early 90s??? Who the fuck produced this it sounds so crisp and massive. The mixing on this was ahead of its time for sure, ranging formform beutifully crisp sounds of the more stripped down tracks to big soaring ones that almost sound like something that Mike Dean would produce. So sick wtf
Makes ya wanna go to Senegal, right?
Gotta get myself to Senegal, they make some good shit. This was amazing
Un álbum que no solo no conocía, probablemente no hubiera topado nunca de no ser por esta lista. Nada acabó en mis playlist, pero está bueno diversificarse
this was a lot of fun. i definitely have a weird soft spot for african rhythms, which this of course lit right up. overall, quite enjoyable.
Like a holiday in Africa with extra everything.
Galna bangers bör lyssnas
Powerful stuff from the legendary Baaba Maal. Really enjoyable.
Refreshingly different to other albums so far.
Loved the flecks of classic rock in this
I really liked this, it had a really good vibe.
I thought this was beautiful, uplifting and interesting. Will definitely listen to some songs again.
Je fais un avec le désert.
Really enjoyed this. Hard not to imagine you’re somewhere sunny and having a great time when this plays. Not sure id sit and actively listen to it but as music to have in the background - winner
The melody on "Lem Gi" is surprisingly moving and vibrant! That one and "Ndelorel" sounded funnily like N64 music, which is fitting considering the year this was released :U Very cool!
HL: Minuit, Hamady Boiro, Gidelam, Lem Gi Baaba Maal is one of my favourite recent discoveries from this album list (though reading Wikipedia, I heard his voice before in the Black Panther soundtrack). “Djam Leeli” was sparse and hypnotic, this is denser & more celebratory. August 29, 2022
Great Afro beats and voice. I really enjoyed listening to this album
Traditional african, unecpected and reminds me of Black Panther, but I Like!
Wonderful - not one I would have ever found without this project, but I'm glad I did!
This was a fun suprise, it was very well spunding and had some very interesting and great tunes
I really enjoyed this! It felt very experimental and exploratory throughout!
7/10. Good stuff. I should listen to this sort of stuff more.
8/10 a few boring tracks , but overall a really enjoyable and unique album.
I enjoyed just about every minute of this wonderful album Not sure I could fully embrace the nasaly nature of Baaba Maal's vocals but the music is wonderful. Rhythmically complex yet accessible, the incorporation of western melodies and production enhances that accessibility but still allows the authenticity of the music to come through. 4 stars
interessante.
Dispersate musical styles made to work well, with impressive vocals. Could do without the 80s synths though, which I usually like but sound out of place here. Best song, Toro
tribe vibes
Funky, groovy, and generally a pleasure even if I have no idea what we're singing about.
verrassend leuk
Hmmm, I liked the bulk of this, but every now and then it veers into more conventional sounding euro pop, and that kinda dampens my enthusiasm. Probably woulda gone to 5 if it had been less crossover. Fave track - "Yela" is a lovely opener. "Miniut" has some gorgeous moments, even if parts of it are a little-too-conventional ballad sounding...
I've always enjoyed a spot of Baaba Maal. I just love that voice and those Afrobeat rhythms. There are some really lovely chilled songs on this album. Nice.
Leuke Afrikaanse muziek met enkele rock-invloeden
My favorite type of album - a slice of music I never would’ve found on my own.
Cool African beats
Very good but not my jam.
Great vibes
I enjoyed this voyage to Senegal.
Ca m'a paru un peu long car presque 1h et c'est répétitif mais j'adore le vibe de ces artistes africains ! 4
Really enjoyable album and it has a range of styles on it — some danceable pop and some more traditional-sounding acoustic folk. We’ve had a few West African albums on the list so far and I always connect with them. I also like that some of the more pop-leaning tracks here have a bit of a cheesy production that you expect from the era. But the rhythms still sound complicated. I’m gonna want to revisit this one. (Oooh this guitar solo in the second half of the closing track “Minuit”! 🎸🙌)
Very cool. I don't know WTF is up with the RYM score on this album.
This was so refreshing after a slew of male guitar records from the late 20thcentury.
Something different for a change. I dont think i could listen to this music every day but it was a nice change from all the rock albums I've been getting lately.
While I have very little experience with music like this, the album grew on my as it continued. I really liked the guitar here, especially on the final track.
Youssou N'Dour is my only previous exposure to Senegalese music. Lam Toro is different than Youssou N'Dour's work I have heard, I thought Baaba Maal's juxtaposition of traditional music with more modern rhythm is very interesting and worthy of multiple listens. Time will tell whether if gets a spot on my list.
I'm no expert on this genre, and what little familiarity I have is with South African contemporary artists and bands, so this was really cool to explore how West African music differs. I obviously have no idea what he's saying but the chords and rhythms are just innately compelling. I guess we've heard him before if you've seen the Black Panther movies. Hamady Boiro is a groove. Some production elements are a little dated but make sense for '92 (would have preferred if Gidelam used a real sax or woodwind vs a synth). Disappointed to find very little English language context for the album. Would go 3.5 but feeling generous
"Lam Toro" by Baaba Maal is a captivating album that presents a rich tapestry of Senegalese music and culture. Released in 1992, it showcases Maal's distinctive voice and his ability to blend traditional and contemporary influences. Tracks like "Gorel" and "Lam Tooro" highlight his mastery of storytelling through music. The album's production is a fusion of African rhythms, vibrant melodies, and modern production techniques. "Lam Toro" is an important piece of Maal's discography, offering a window into the vibrant world of Senegalese music and its global impact.
A little bloat on an otherwise enjoyable album.
There's a cool worldbeat/fusion vibe here that I dig, even with the very dated production on it.
One thing that I did not anticipate by participating in 1001 was that I'd get tired and bored of traditional music and along the way develop an openness and tolerance for international music. In addition, I've also come to understand that the music and not the words are what I enjoy the most. Tho, it would be nice to know what he's saying. Lam Toro is a great album that was casually playing in the background while I worked today. And, when it was over I played it again. I think that's the most basic definition of a good album. Well done. Again, I have no idea what he's saying
Baaba Maal has a rich, distinctive voice that works best when it's showcased as a lead instrument, as in the openning track and "Dande Lenol". I like the more traditional arrangements that are rythmic and disjunctive at the same time. When he approaches more traditional funk it's less interesting.
I found Baaba when I was randomly searching the Western African section of the CD store looking to expand my Western African music. Yup - this hit and miss approach was the 1990s equivalent of the Spotify algorithm. He has an excellent voice and there are some decent guitar rhythms. His attempt to fuse didn't quite make it but it's still quite good. I'm rounding up
Upbeat, good vibes album. I enjoyed listening even though I had no idea what was being said
Glad I gave this one a chance, I didn't really jive with the first song but ended up enjoying this album a lot! Baaba Maal's got some pipes!
Passionate vocal energy, rhythmic. Not something I'd listen to a lot, but a lot of beauty in this.
I think I'd like to spend more time with this album.
Its pretty good actually
Senegalese excellence for a Thursday morning
Baaba Maal combines traditional and modern and comes up with something joyous and life affirming. Uplifting in the gloom, a talented artist shines.
I liked it, this is the first album I had no context for. Different but had a great sound
Sounds like the authentic version of a Paul Simon Afro-derivative album. Good melodies, good arrangements. My mind isn't blown but it's good.
Wow… this made me an instant convert. There’s something in here which I had never heard before, a sound that’s so energizing and different. And his voice… so emotional, resonant, fully present. It seems like most people bounce off this record… that wasn’t the case for me, not at all. I was obsessed immediately. Ran to find all his songs. There are very cool things in here that I will be thinking about. 4/5
Ok
Not bad at all, but probably won't be getting back to it.
Wouldn’t be into it
Just okay
Me gustó, pero así como una gran canción larga. Puede ser que no haya escuchado tanta música africana como quisiera, pero de lo que he escuchado, sí pienso que hay quizá cosas más emocionantes, más variadas. De todas formas, fue agradable, quizá sólo esperaba que de pronto hubiera algo más. No tengo canciones fav. 7/10
Es un buen disco, tal vez un poco largo, la producción luego no le juega a favor en algunas canciones.
Étnica africana.
Nice senegalese sounds mixed with other influences
Good world music album. Love hte arrangement, though it didn't knock my socks off
Wasn't sure what to expect. It was enjoyable in that the music was creative, with a very diverse set of instruments and rhythms. As it was senegalese, i didn't understand anything and the vocals were quite forward, i think detracting a bit for me.
I don't speak the language. So it makes it a bit harder to judge but honestly, it sounds pretty dang rad.
3.5
Czego jak czego, ale kolejnego albumu z senegalu od tego samego artysty sie zem nie spodziewal, sporo wiecej niz podczas sluchania ostatniej plyty pana Baaby Maala sie nie dowiem, bo informacje o tym materiale praktycznie nie istnieja, a recek na amazunie nie ma co czytac, ale z skrapow lirykowych ktore udalo mi sie odszyfrowac muzyka nadal traktuje o pieknie afrykanskiej ziemi, w szczegolnosci senegalu, bo to rodzinna ziemia Baaby, ponoc wiekszosc liryki jest spiewana w Fulbe, ale nie jestem w stanie tego zweryfikowac wlasnymi uszami, wiec nadal jest to folk o pozytywnym upbeatowym brzmieniu, ale zdecydowanie wiecej jest tutaj elementow z muzyki elektronicznej, slychac takze eksperymenty z klimatami reggae, czy nawet funkowego rocka jak na hamady boiro, gdzie najbardziej slychac mocne samplowanie i zabawe z synthami, zabraklo mi tutaj gitarki pana Secka z pierwszej pozycji, no ale nowy material to nowe pomysly, wydaje mi sie, ze moze byc on nawet bardziej przystepny niz debiutancki material poprzez wykorzystanie bardziej standarowych instrumentow jak elektrykowych gitar czy klawiszy, ale przez to material traci na afrykanskim uroku, plyta to prawie godzina na 11 trakach, ale nawet pomimo tego nie czuje sie zeby album sie dluzyl, jak ostatni pik i tuskowy material, wiec moze nie tak murzynski jak pierwszy album pana Baaby, to jednak nadal insteresujacy na swoj sposob, na plejke dodam lowe songa zatytulowanego daande lenol
Seems like another token album for the list good music but I wonder how this differs from the rest of the catalog of the seemly quite prolific artist
doesnt sound that special to me besides the fact that its from a different african originated language
Didn't appreciate the preset drums and horns
decent
76. Lam Toro - Baaba Maal 11 tracks. There are bits of this that remind me of Traditional Irish "diddly-diddly" music, (in a good way), but with African vocals. It really grew on me. 3/5
Kriegt mich erst beim dritten Track, Daande Lenol, ein wenig. Hypnotisch und glimmend erscheint es da und wärmt meinen Klischee-Ofen. Bleibt mir trotzdem relativ fremd - zumal beim Gang durch die nächtlich nasskaltgraue Dezemberstadt.