Reviews (page 3 of 7)
"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.
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
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.
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.
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.
This was so refreshing after a slew of male guitar records from the late 20thcentury.
Very cool. I don't know WTF is up with the RYM score on this album.
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”! 🎸🙌)
Ca m'a paru un peu long car presque 1h et c'est répétitif mais j'adore le vibe de ces artistes africains ! 4
I enjoyed this voyage to Senegal.
Great vibes
Very good but not my jam.
Cool African beats
My favorite type of album - a slice of music I never would’ve found on my own.
Leuke Afrikaanse muziek met enkele rock-invloeden
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.
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...
verrassend leuk
Funky, groovy, and generally a pleasure even if I have no idea what we're singing about.
tribe vibes
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
interessante.
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
8/10 a few boring tracks , but overall a really enjoyable and unique album.
7/10. Good stuff. I should listen to this sort of stuff more.
I really enjoyed this! It felt very experimental and exploratory throughout!
This was a fun suprise, it was very well spunding and had some very interesting and great tunes
Wonderful - not one I would have ever found without this project, but I'm glad I did!
Traditional african, unecpected and reminds me of Black Panther, but I Like!
Great Afro beats and voice. I really enjoyed listening to this album
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
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!
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
Je fais un avec le désert.
I thought this was beautiful, uplifting and interesting. Will definitely listen to some songs again.
I really liked this, it had a really good vibe.
Loved the flecks of classic rock in this
Refreshingly different to other albums so far.
Powerful stuff from the legendary Baaba Maal. Really enjoyable.
Galna bangers bör lyssnas
Wish there were more albums like this one so i could distinguish between them better. Great cause it's world, but it didn't hook me
African rhythms and instruments mixed with elements of soft rock, pop, folk. I liked the singing a bit more than on his other album on the list, maybe because it was a better match with the instrumentation. The production is also much better on this. I enjoyed the listen and it was great hearing something a bit different but I'm not sure it'll be on replay.
This is a nice left turn from the usual classic pop and rock on the list. I can't say whether this is the best representation of the genre, and I can't say I'd return to it, but I enjoyed the listen.
So, not my cup of tea, but I can certainly respect it.
Really enjoyed that african vibe (as usual) 3.5
⭐⭐⭐ World music. Det finns inget här som får mig att tycka det är dåligt men samtidigt är nog mina musiköron inte erfarna nog att riktigt ta till mig det, att jag inte förstår språket påverkar nog också. Det växer med lyssningar och det finns spännande och intressanta element här med instrument och rytmer. Jag kan tänka mig att lyssna på albumet igen men kommer förmodligen försvinna i mängden då det inte är något riktigt starkt spår som fastnar hos mig så det blir en 3a. Bäst är Minuit, Daniibe, Lem Gi, Minuit
Unda om Ludwig Göransson har lyssnat på detta...
Otroligt fascinerad över såna där pratande trummor.
3.5
It’s very inviting and relaxing, I could see myself putting this in the background while I do something. It’s upbeat and optimistic while keeping a good momentum throughout. It’s an easy and pleasant listen that I would recommend not skipping.
This is a hard one for me to review, as I'm not familiar with the music of Senegal. Baaba Maal is an incredible singer and the percussion throughout is great. The talking drums on the second track are really amazing and they come back a lot. The third track starts with a unknown (to me) string instrument, then a wind instrument comes in (some kind of flute maybe), and then an electric guitar is added. The vocals are building and building and have a quality I associate with North African music. Toward the end the flute pulls out all these overtones and brings it to a close. It's just an incredible piece of music. The next track starts with some funky electric guitar and adds percussion, bass, and vocals. The guitar is pretty great through most of the song but ends the track with a corny solo that kind of ruins the mood. The next song really highlights the vocals with maybe two instruments (at least one seems to be a guitar) playing a quiet but intricate part in the background. Then comes electric bass, percussion and mallet percussion (or a synth imitating a xylophone?) which kind of transforms the song into something else, not necessarily for the better. The next song has some interesting percussion and what I thought at first was a sax but is probably another synth. A few different keyboard parts are going on and some really nice guitar too. There's so much that's good here, but many of the songs have sounds and parts that feel random, at least to me. One of the songs starts off with a keyboard part that sounds like you are about to have to switch off an infomercial for a timeshare on a tropical island. I take it Baaba Maal is a legend in Senegalese music comparable to Youssou N'Dour, and I love his voice, but I'm skeptical that this album in particular is the best introduction to his music or to Senegalese music in general--not that it was supposed to be but it was for me. The best aspects easily deserve a 4 or 5, but the weaker aspects make it less satisfying as an album. I'm glad I heard this music and now that I know about Baaba Maal, I'll keep an ear out for his voice.
This was pretty fresh and different. Didn't hit with me today but I feel pretty strongly that was a 'my mindset' today thing more than bad music.
not sure what he's saying but it sounds cool. good rhythm, fun instruments minuit was cool
Good for background music. Albums like this are why I do this list.
What a rich interesting life. I found the setups to each song to be unique and surprising, leading to unsurprising ostinato and standard funk with a great voice and vocal range. It had good moments in it, but not enough to be good.
Yeah. It's fine. It's outside my usual sphere of listening, but that's good. We all need to try some new things, and I've found some new faves this way, but this album ... just didn't grab me much. A dare say another listen, on another day, in another mood might raise this to a four star, but not today.
not for me
6/10
interesting
It sounds OK but it did not speak to me.
pretty!
Sure, Why not.
- Apparently Maal is a Senegalese musician who has done a fair amount of work as well as many collaborations. - Totally chill and nice; I am extremely unfamiliar with African music, so while this was not bad to listen to, I do not have much to offer. - Mostly played over my thoughts while I worked. Nothing in particular stood out; in fact, I had a hard time telling when the album looped.
This is a good example of whatever kind of music this is
really appreciate the culture in this album and how it almost transcends you to Senegal
I really struggle with albums that are clearly pretty lyric driven but whose lyrics I can’t understand.
different. catchy. vocals.
That first track missed so hard I wanted to skip the whole album. Next song won me back. Third song, hard pass. Fourth song, total bop. So on and so forth.
Cool
Liked it more than Frank Sinatra all day long 3 stars
New to me and I enjoyed it,especially the vocals. At its best when it's not trying too hard to fuse with western backing. One to come back to. 3*
Nice refreshing break from 1970s rock
some nice instrumentals nothing bad just uninteresting
Saa waay, mën naa ko gas.
Fine! You can hear 50 albums on Bandcamp which sounds just like this, but it's nice that Western audiences can pat themselves on the back every decade or so for finally making time for music made by non-white artists.
Huh. This guy already. It's been 36 albums since I listened to Djam Leelii and now I'm already bidding him adieu. I'm not gonna lie, this album is kind of dead on arrival. I'm content with letting one album in per non-Western artist, though two albums is certainly pushing it when viewing these world music albums through the traditional criteria for inclusion (i.e., albums which are either critically acclaimed, historically significant or commercially successful). This album doesn't even have a Wikipedia page, so how good can it realistically be? I'll go in with a charitable perspective, though I won't lie. This one's getting snubbed by the end of the review. Huh. I was expecting more of the same from Maal, so imagine my shock when I was faced with the modern production techniques of this album, notably the 80s ambient synths, early-90s pianos and the mild, reverberating ambience which hangs over these tracks. It's nothing that blows my mind, though it is interesting to hear these traditional African songs with a polished, modern sheen. Everything else is business as usual, admittedly. I'm not moved by the very African vocals, though I concede to the fact that they're more subdued than some of the other albums on the list. The African instrumentation is same-old, same-old as well, though I can appreciate the layabout, warm guitars, traditional percussion and that xylophone-sounding instrument. To its credit, this album does a good job of filling out its tracks and ensuring that there isn't a moment on this album which feels empty. Overall, this was a tolerable, if unremarkable listen. Book time. The entry opens by calling this album a pivotal release in music history, the reason being that "...it [was] not the first time an African artist had the opportunity to record with a producer who understood what a White audience - especially a young White audience wanted, but it sure felt like it." Many African acts at the time had synths added over the top of their albums so as to make their sound more viable on the global market. Such was also the case with this album, though it was handled more tactfully here. The book closes out by saying that this album launched the careers of Baaba Maal and Simon Booth - its producer. I mean, this album doesn't even have a Wikipedia article, so we are fucking snubbing this thing. In place of this album, I humbly submit "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel for inclusion on the list.
I like this when it sounds like overproduced folk music, I don’t like it when it incorporates groovy 1992 beats
Ik vind het lastig om de juiste woorden te vinden om een plaat van een Senegalese zanger te beschrijven. Wereldmuziek is een achterhale term die muziek van buiten het Westen enorm te kort doet. En toch... Baaba Maal klinkt Afrikaans maar is een fusion van allerlei genres. Salsa en Reggae zijn nooit ver weg. En dat maakt dit een hele fijne plaat die perfect past bij de zomerse dagen van de afgelopen weken. Mooie verrassing. 7,5/10 Highlights Gidelam Olel
#371 The first half of this album really engaged me, perhaps it was the victim of me listening in two sessions but the second half felt more passive in terms of my listening experience. It hit some genuine highs and I really enjoyed my time with it, I’m always happy to discover music from Africa, there is such vibrancy to discover, and that was no stranger here. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? Probably Fave track(s): Gidelam Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a fun album, I wish I knew understood any of the lyrics.
My first introduction to Baaba Maal. I enjoyed Yela and Daniibe, the rest on this album was meh. Listened to some of his other work and I really enjoyed his collabs with Mumford and Sons and Ludwig Goransson on the Wakanda soundtrack.
Found myself cruising through the work I was doing with a smile while listening
Baaba Maal voor de tweede maal. Meestal maal ik er niet om, maar ditmaal begin ik er een beetje maling aan te krijgen om in deze lijst allerlei onbekenden meermaals te moeten horen. Telkenmaal blijf het achteraf malen in mijn hoofd of het wel nodig was. Het voelt of ik in de maling wordt genomen. Met andere woorden, dit voegt toch helemaal niks toe na de vorige plaat van deze pipo. Ik vind de ethnologische keuzes van dit boek sowieso arbitrair. Waarom wel dit, en geen Chinese klanken of zigeunermuziek. Maar goed, tegen de tijd dat ik straks mijn avondmaal nuttig, is deze Baaba Maal alweer opgegaan in de maalstroom van de vergetelheid.
Pleasant stuff
pretty random but not bad at all... i liked it enough!
Without understanding the context of Senegalese music this one has a really sunny and dancy vibe. Polyrhythms abound. I like it
Plaintive, pretty, often funky. You get the definite feeling that the Disney team were listening to this album when they made The Lion King. It's too musically interesting to be good for background music, but as the lyrics are in Senegalese, it's challenging as an active listen too. Nonetheless, I expect to revisit it for inspiration.
This album is full of undeniably impressive vocals and incredible guitarwork, but it does sound "cheapened" in a way to me by the synthetic drums and synthesizer, almost like those are just inserted to try to appeal to a wider audience. Maybe that's unfair, but it did affect my enjoyment overall.
An album from Senegal is interesting. It was okay, didn't click at first but it grew on me somewhat throughout the listen. I liked Hamady Boiro best
Heel verrassend, vond vooral Yela, Hamady Boiro en Gidelam Nice. Verder met vlagen een beetje saai of zo.
modern folk pop music from west africa. it's said that this album here helped establish maal's career in different parts of the world. truth be told there's not a lot of information about this album on the net... there's not much else of a summary i can give you. like other albums i've listened to recently, this album too is essentially just... general/pop music from another country. compared to the last one i listened to, lam toro gets extra points because i think the songs are objectively better and i am a sucker for african rhythms and worldbeat stylings. i think i'm just starting to grow weary of the days where it's like "no no no you gotta understand, you really need to listen to this bengalese pop album, it's rather essential for EVERYONE to listen to at least once in their lifetime!" i'm a very worldly guy but if the music isn't interesting, i'm going to be honest... it's not horrifically abysmal but not remarkable either.
I have listened to albums where I did not understand the language and the worry is always whether the musicianship will translate. Sometimes, like with Latcho Drom, it does very easily. Other times, not so much. From the first notes, this sounds promising. I put it on while working, expecting it to bring a wallpaper Spotify experience even though I was using Tidal (Little internet criticism there) but I found that every couple of songs, I would be brought out of it and a song demanded a listen. That happened probably for about a third of the album. Complex rhythms, unfamiliar song structures and sounds were often the culprit. While familiar with some of this artist's other works, I wasn't with this album or under Baaba Maal. I guess I'll give this a 3. If it was on at a party, I would be more than happy to be there. As something to offer close listening, I am more circumspect. I think the musicianship is amazing. I can see where his cross training has served him well for making songs that are great across language barriers. Other than a few songs, (Sy Sawande for example), I don't feel a great urge to relisten.
1. Yela (★★★☆☆) 2. Toro (★★★★☆) 3. Daande Lenol (★★★☆☆) 4. Hamady Boiro (★★★☆☆) 5. Daniibe (★★★⯨☆) 6. Gidelam (★★⯨☆☆) 7. Olel (★★⯨☆☆) 8. Sy Sawande (★★⯨☆☆) 9. Ndelorel (★★★☆☆) 10. Lem Gi (★★⯨☆☆) 11. Minuit (★★☆☆☆) TOTAL = ★★⯨☆☆ (2,9)
Very Nice africa disco psych soul i think many artists followed him
Pretty fun album, so much emotion and loveliness. The last three songs, Ndelorel, Lem Gi, and Minuit were my favorites. And it was also cool learning about the artist himself. 6.2/10.
Fun but long
Better than anticipated, but can’t fathom ever listening to him again.
I appreciate being exposed to non-western music through this.
World music
Would I listen again: likely not Some of the songs had me boppin ngl
Interesting
Good world music find; African artist. Instrumentation was great; vocals can get a little shouty at times, but otherwise very melodic. Tracks are 5:00+.
Interesting
Nice stuff. Enjoyed listening to a different style of music than is usually featured on the list.
I don't have a lot of experience listening to what I think is called Afropop or Worldbeat. It was a interesting listen, with chill beats and acoustic sound mixed together with the energetic Senegalese singer's voice. Not the kind of music I see myself getting into, but was a fun listen.
The first and last track were exceptional. The rest of it seemed a bit too twee but was still pretty nice to listen to.
A second Baaba Maal album? Surely there's other Senegalese guitarists who also play percussion and have successful musical careers worldwide?? Where's my fourteenth Beatles album??? Kidding. Keep on keeping on Baaba.
I don't speak Pulaar. Outside the scattered French, or French loanwords, I can't comment on the lyrics. Musically, it was pretty good. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual stuff on this list. I didn't like it as much as the album from Ali Farka Touré, but it's still an interesting listen for anybody who has little experience with West African music.
Wll now here is something different. Every cut different from the one before and each one unexpected.
Afro Beat goodness
Day861 - my ear isn’t fine tuned enough to tell the difference in afro pop genres . i like fela kuti’s albums better but this was good
AFRICA 🇿🇦
I listened to Baaba Maal 4 albums ago. I liked that one and this one too.
Interesting. Not sure how much I’d listen to this, but was cool to have heard.
Middle of the road afro music
Didn’t vibe with the style of every song on the album, but a very fun/educating Afrocentric ‘90s cut.
Got me feeling spiritual up in here
3.5
Sure. Not really my thing.
Our old-friend 'background music' has returned! It's likely doing this a disservice but unfortunately a) I am working and it's not getting my full focus and it's not very hooky, and b) whilst it's not completely alien to me, it's not a genre of music I listen to a lot. So yeah, it passed the time and it was decent enough but doubtful I'll return
Day 267 Fun album, not sure I’ll be delving any deeper into his discography but glad I heard this. Highlights Toro Olel
Overall Rating - 3.45/5 (6.91/10). This has a feel, through a lot of the album, of a fusion of late 80s/early 90s Pop and African music. I liked it.
There was one good bass song I remember but overall a mostly instrumental album that I didn’t get absorbed by
*I'm finding with the world albums on this list that I like many tracks in the 3,4,5 range for rating...however these albums are often collections without the cohesion of the western idea of an "album" *While I'm only giving this a 3, the jazz and rock selections are fantastic on this album
Really hard to rate, since any kind of history, context, etc. is just.... not something I have. It was good! I enjoyed listening to it! There was one song in particular (Sy Sawande) which just instantly mellowed me out in a way that only a handful of songs has ever been able to. I wish my rating was anything more than arbitrary, though.
Vihdoinkin listalla jotain muuta kuin pohjois-amerikkalaista tai eurooppalaista musaa. Onhan tämä asiaan vihkiytymättömän korvaan erikoisen kuuloista. Huomasin, ettö en pystynyt kuuntelemaan tätä musiikista nauttivans vaan nimenomaan musiikkia analysoivana ihmisenä. Iso arviointia vaikeuttavia tekijä on, että ei ole mitään käsitystä, mistä laulut kertovat eikä näin ollen ole ymmärrystä siitä, mitä ajatuksia ja tunnetiloja kuulijalle pyritään välittämään. Musiikillisesti aika mielenkiintoinen. Ei todellakaan musaa, jota juurinkoskssn vapaa-ajalla kuuntelisin mutta kiva kuunnella välillä ajatuksen kanssa. Muejenkiintoisia rytmejä ja instrumentaatioita. Toivottavasti listalla on lisääkin tällaisia välipaloja. 3/5
The first few tracks sounded like calls to prayer to my untrained ear. Then the fusion started happening and it got really good. I added “Olel” to my playlist.
I'm enjoying the party vibes and variety of percussion on this album. It transports you to a beach in West Africa, you can almost feel the sun in your face. Pretty consistent with the odd instrumental choice that plungers it into the 80s. By no means a bad thing. A pretty fun album.
Okkk enfin un truc différent mais par contre j'ai pas fait exprès de mettre 5 à celui d'avant😭😭et on peut pas changer. Ok ça a l'air cool ça je mets 3 parce que j'ai pas fini
It was fine. Not great. Not as good as other West African music.
World albums can be a challenge but I found this very accessible and easy to listen to. Interesting mix of instruments and styles.
Любопытно, необычно, но не мое
I’m not familiar with Lam Toro but it sounds like he knows what he is doing.
Yela was so good, great cultural song ... Whered the good music go
Culture, celebration, voice, love, and great instrumentation.
I can’t knock a guy who sings in his native language and plays idiomatically to his culture. It would be so easy for him to pander. And I suspect he has a bit. This hits just at the peak of the ‘world music’ movement. I hate the term world music and have since I saw an Archie Roach cd filed under world music in a Sydney record store. Archie roach was an Australian indigenous artist. It’s just music. Enjoy it for what it is. But. Is this must listen? Maybe. 2.5 rounded up till I work it out.
I have complicated feelings about the way that 'World Music' was presented in the 90s. I feel like it was often gussied up with fancy production to appeal to Western audiences. I appreciated the fresh sounds and styles and perspectives this could bring (and these types of albums certainly were often a gateway to other non-Western genres for me). And I certainly don't begrudge the subsequent success that some of these artists enjoyed as a result of selling records and touring for (richer) Western audiences. I do dislike the development of a cliched 'World Music' genre -- a mess of canned dance beats, cheesy synths, mismatched elements froma variety of 'ethnic' sources and bad sampling. The worst example fo this was the Afro Celt Sound System, which I note featured a few members of Baaba Maal's band. Wesrtern artists don't lose any sleep appropriating elements of African styles, so I don't see why African artists can't do likewise. When it works, it can be powerful and uplifting (Fela Kuti, Ali Farka Toure, Mdou Moctar, Angelique Kidjo, et al.), but when it doesn't work, we get an unsatisfying soup (Afro Celt Sound System, and many others I prefer not to think about). But that seemed to peak was later in the decade. Here, Baaba Maal seems true to his own musical vision, sweetened with some expensive Western recording technique, but not _too_ compromised by it. He has a compelling voice and charismatic presence, which are well deployed. I accidentally started my listening session with one of his previous albums, which I probably enjoyed a bit better as they lean a bit heavier into traditional Senegalese instrumentation.
interesting but not my cup of tea
Interesting soundscape - I don't have the words to describe the music. Sounds like a soundtrack set in some exotic local. Not really an album I would come back to so just gets a 3 star for that.
This was solid. Not something I would reach back for necessarily but glad to listen. On the 3 side of a 3.5.
I was gonna give this a 2, but I guess I'll bump it up to a 3 just because I'm not smart enough to understand all the context surrounding it. My stupidity shouldn't hinder it's rating. The drums and melodies were cool, but overall I just don't see myself coming back to this
slow start for me, liked it at the end
An album of spirited worldbeat offerings. The listener is immediately greeted with those loud melismatic vocal performances that instantly identify this kind of thing. It starts at mid-tempo before picking up in rhythm, and there's a few quite interesting moments where some African polyrhythms try to shine through and groove into something genuinely interesting. Sadly, this album suffers from that incredibly dated early 90s production style of substituting real instruments with artificial MIDI sounds, which is absolutely the opposite direction to go if you're trying to make this an authentic introduction to West African music. I can only imagine it was done to make the material more "accessible" to the new-age/world audiences of the West. These songs would have probably benefited IMMENSELY if they were just allowed to shine by being played completely live, without studio enhancements. For what we get on a final result, you could do much worse than a commercialized West African folk album, though I'm still not sure why this is considered essential listening...
I'm not sure how to mark this one. Definitely aged, definitely part of a history book somewhere. The sounds and textures were great, but did I enjoy it past a 3? nah.
Entertaining. Track I liked: Daniibe Would I revisit: no
Haven't heard of him before but it's cool because finally I get another album not in English, yay! The album was genuinely interesting and fun, very refreshing after multiple anglophone albums in a row 3/5
Interesting 🤔. It's great to be exposed to something that I would not necessarily listen to. It has a very interesting blends of sounds. I actually enjoyed aspects of this album. The style of music means I probably wouldn't deliberately select it to listen to in the future.
Cool sounds and interesting songs, but overall hard to connect with this one personally.
This was ok, but nothing special for me. The vocal style was a bit "yelly" for lack of a better word and I got a little tired of it eventually. Nice to have something a bit different that's still musical though
I enjoyed the world beat vibe and the synths. Baaba Maal is clearly a skilled performer. I confess that I lack the language or cultural skills to put this into context. Perhaps not an essential album that requires being on the list, although it was a nice change of pace from the overabundant and boring singer/songwriter albums (read: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young albums) that litter this list. I could foresee this growing on me with more listens. It is in that wheelhouse of Chris Spheeris and Enigma music that jumps cultural and genre boundaries that I enjoy. I think Afro Celt Sound System VOLUME 1 or VOLUME 2 would have been a better choice for this spot. At minimum VOLUME should have been chosen for the 2000s.
I appreciated this album for it's wide use of instruments and varying wee songs. I enjoyed my time and think it's rather good, but I'm not gonna listen to it again. A change is as good as a rest though, far better than the usual boring men x
Interesting music Standout songs: Gidelam Sy Sawande
Not my usual listen but this was impressive.
Great album, different from what I normaly listen.
Це звучіть доволі цікаво та автентично, і якщо слухати одну-дві пісні, то мені подобається. Але весь альбом, особисто для мене, - це трохи забагато. Незнаю, чи буду я колись ще це слухати
Fine for work but didn’t speak to me.
It feels unfair for me to give this album a rating considering I mostly listen to western music (trying to expand my horizons...) so I don't know how to compare this to other African music. I did enjoy the album though and the energy it brought! :)
Je n’avais aucune attente de cet album et il m’a surpris. Très complet, sa voix est agréable, les morceaux bien sequencés, c’est vraiment bien. L’album est cependant un peu long, je me serais arrêté à Sy Sawande qui pourrait sonner comme une outro même si minuit est parfaite aussi. 3-/5
This was an interesting album to listen through, but I don't see myself revisiting it. I liked Daniibe, that track was unique and experimental in a nice way, but the other tracks didn't stand out. Not bad to listen to, interesting energy!
3
A couple of great songs, some not so much.
Not bad. Not something that I'll listen to again, but still.
Strong 3, verging on 4, very much along the lines of the Toures's work.
Interesting. Serviceable African-tinged pop music, a bit dated but presumably of its time; probably exactly what I could have expected. Unlikely to go back to it, but certainly glad to have listened to it and wouldn't have come across it otherwise.
I don't have much experience with world music. The little I do know has not been my thing. This album has some cool moments and neat sounds. I hope this is a sign of things to come in the world music genre on this list.
Good stuff. Need to expand
Rhythmically very cool, could have done with a few tracks less imo
The fact that Djam Leelii (Maal + Seck) is one of the most blissed-out but earth-bounded albums I've heard didn't make it easy to go into this record w/o being somewhat disappointed. Even if Lam Toro isn't a failure, which it isn't, the one w/ Seck is a masterpiece, so the standards are simply higher. But even w/o the (unfair) comparison in mind, Lam Toro is not only bent on something that is more pop than authentic - it seems to be reaching for a sound that ought to be, for this artist at least, second nature. To go pop & to be real are not mutually exclusive: our best pop artists prove that it's so, over & over. Yet, the chill vibes these songs produce are exactly that & not much more. Still, 'Gidelam' is a substantial one, & it all mostly hits for bits.
not bad, not my thing
Wouldn't be my chosen choice of genre but this was alright to be honest. Musically it was pretty decent, and most of the vocals were fine (albeit mildly chanty)
A very eclectic mix and some interesting stuff in there but as a whole it never really caught me.
I really love the music on this, it's very evocative of...something, and at times whole songs are really lovely and captivating. At other times, it feels like it's passing me by quite a bit, and there's a vocal style on there that doesn't do loads for me, but I was certainly glad to have heard this.
It's incredibly difficult for me to rate albums like this as I simply don't have the cultural knowledge or points of comparison. It sounds perfectly nice, of course, and it's all performed well. That's about the depth of what I can say about it, mind.
This is polished and quite easy to listen to but functioned more as background music for me. Low 3
This could have been the best album I've ever listened to. But I wouldn't of have been able to tell.
I enjoyed listening to this. It was funky and cool. Good background music for chores on a gloomy day.
3.5
Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Good - Starts slowly but quickly gets into a groove. Hamady Boira is very funky and Daniibe is also very cool. The album gets a bit lost for me and almost becomes too comfortable. Overall I really enjoyed this and will definitely check out some more in this vein.
Music that makes ya wanna mooooove. Infectious rhythm, celebratory vocals and variety of instruments had this gal feeling mighty fine!
I liked the rhythms and the groove. I think I would like it more if I liked his voice better. I'm fine with not understanding the language, but there were times I found his voice quite grating. Also some of the songs were far too long for them to be as boring as they were. Felt almost Jam-band-esque at points because it just kept going and going.
I kinda get it, but why this album? Baaba Maal's "Firin' In Fouta" is the far more essential work. It won a Grammy and brought him huge crossover appeal. It should serve as entry point to his other, more Afro-Centric albums.
My rating 2.6. Ok. I enjoyed the layered guitars but the wailing/singing got to be a bit much.
Very interesting to sample African music, a culture I don’t know loads about. I found it very pleasant but a bit repetitive and long, so not hugely for me. But I was happy for the chance to experience it.
Good.
Not bad
I enjoyed hearing the variety of instruments and rythyms.
Liked this, a lot of interesting tracks, Hamady Boiro a funky stand out
It's solid, but it doesn't really stand out beyond the cool vibes of the regional sound. I enjoyed it, but I doubt I'll come back.
Music that plays as you wander the bazaar.
No opinion on this as would never chose to listen to it
This album was an interesting listen, it felt different and fresh. I was surprised to find out it was made in the 90s. I couldn’t understand any of the words but it was still a great listen!
Im partial to a foreign language album as long as it has something i can mildly shake my ass too or atleast somewhat boogie to, and this fit the criteria so 3/5.
The music is good, nice rhythms and cool vibe. But I’m losing some of the connection over time.
He’s not by fave but I do enjoy this genre..a couple of those tracks I could’ve done without but on the whole how’s about a 3
It reminds me of a second line; the celebratory procession that follows the instruments after a parade. The energy is always highly infectious and full of joy. It’s all bright colors, dancing, and hope. One of those magical moments where complete strangers come together in harmony.
Sounds like the Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disney World. It's fine but doesn't click with me.
The first half, I really enjoyed. But halfway through I got a bit done with it. 2,5/5
Whatever the hell this is, I'm a fan. The Eno influence is up front at first, and Daniibe is my favorite of this half. Smooth once the groove breaks out, love the bass. Sy Sawande and Ndelorel make up the peak of this album for me, the latter had a pretty sick transition into a ska style of playing. Yeah that was definitely a strange one, for this list especially. But a pretty good album.
Yup, good.
I find rating music like this quite hard, because all I have to go off is just my enjoyment of it. Which coming to think of it, really should be the only basis on which to rate music, but we can't help to let out contextual biases get the better of us and rate things higher or lower based on how it compares to what we are already familiar with. But listening to something like this every now and then is refreshing if nothing else, definitely not something I would ever seek out listening to, but it's still interesting to expose myself to something completely different.
This is the type of album that reminds me why I am doing this exercise. New to me, exciting to listen to. Mysterious and cool. I learned something today!
6/10 Quite enjoyable, although it is going to struggle with my philistine Western tastes. Naff synths
nice
This is the first “world music” offering we’ve had in a while, so was a nice change of pace from the rock heavy run of albums. It was also the “world music” offering I have enjoyed the most. While I won’t profess to understand the lyrics, I found a lot of the melodies to be incredibly catchy. It was the first “world music” album where you could absolutely place its era - it sounded very distinctly 90s to me. I fear this may be another prime example of a 2.5* album but, given how much I liked a lot of the melody, if this were in English I think it’d be closer to a 3* album for me. And we can’t punish an album for my linguistic failures.
I really enjoyed this, much to my surprise. When the generator previously produced Djam Leelii by Baaba Maal, I really struggled to get into it. The lack of being able to understand the lyrics and the repetitive beats made me lose interest pretty quickly. This album still throws up the lyric issue (I'd genuinely love someone to translate the songs and put the lyrics online somewhere - I'd really appreciate knowing the topics) but it felt much more varied, with more influences. It seems wrong to say you enjoyed an album more because it felt less linked to the traditional sounds of the singer's homeland, but this is much more of a fusion, and I guess it means I find it easier to listen to as a result (which is very much my problem, not the artists obviously). I really liked Hamady Boiro and Ndelorel. And the funky bass playing on Daniibe was great. I'm not sure I'll necessarily return to this album again, but I do appreciate it. 3/5
Not bad.
I don't really know what it was but it was a pleasant background listen.
While certainly more lively and busy than the other Baaba Maal album on this list (Djam Leelii), I did find it was a bit more hit-or-miss and far longer than I would've liked. It still has that sun-kissed, bright, and cheery atmosphere that was present in Djam Leeli, but it's certainly more bloated and drawn out, with fewer memorable moments scattered throughout. Still, the dense rhythmic and funky moments here were great. The second part of 'Daniibe' stands out particularly, with some of Baaba's best vocals on the album. And 'Olel' really emphasizes that funky part with these encompassing, hypnotizing rhythms. Nothing that was super mindblowing, but not a record I minded or anything. Was a good time generally.
African World Leaders
I kept expecting Paul Simon to show up every song. It’s an ok album. I’ve enjoyed other world music more. Who am I to judge if this is good or not?
A bit dated on the production side, but more interesting than his other record included in this project. 3/5
This is the first album we’ve had where I had never heard of the artist before and I enjoyed branching out into something completely new. a few songs I enjoyed on here
Brilliant! I have absolutely no idea what’s going on.
Pretty cool! Not really my cup of tea but I'm happy I got exposed to this Best Song: Yela Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3
First look into the wider scope of what this list has to offer I guess. Very African, very traditional, very interesting. Just not really for me, but I can't rate it lower just because it's not for my tastes, overall it's clearly a well made album, with some great talent behind it.
All different kinds of afro heat - great vibes, eclectic and lively
It's pleasant to listen to, but with how long the songs go on for, they get old towards the end. I also have no idea what he's saying because I don't speak the language. I'm not rating the album worse for that, but it's harder to enjoy the music when to me it just sounds like gibberish. I think I preferred Djam Leelii. Both albums had their bright spots, but weren't consistent in them.
I don’t have any foundational knowledge to pass judgement on this album. Did I enjoy it? Mostly. Would I listen to it again? Probably not.
Just like Australia had Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Senegal has Baaba Maal: a serene, gifted and atmospheric vocalist with a unique approach to acoustic guitar. On his 1992 record, 'Lam Toro', Maal chants his way through the songs with ethereal grace and unwavering focus. The lyrics are in his native tongue (Pulaar, native to inabitants along the Senegal River) so it's hard to gauge the themes, but the allure of Maal's voice is impressive enough to keep you hooked, hence the Gurrumul comparison. And that's not to mention the beautiful musicianship on display throughout 'Lam Toro'. Maal's guitar playing is full of intrigue and character, and there's an eclectic range of instruments (panflute, harp, marimba, brass, percussion, handclaps etc.) that add to the multilayered, dynamic sound on show. You can tell a lot of heart and passion went into creating 'Lam Toro', and it's such a great record to kick back and relax to. Best songs: Yela, Hamady Boiro, Gidelam
An interesting diversion for a single listen but ultimately forgettable.
I enjoyed the vibes but it really felt a little all over the place.
Very mid for me. This is not something I’d come back to.
Yep, that's afro beat alright
3.5
I have no reference how to rate this vs other albums in this genre. It's pretty great but something about the production feels too clean to me. 3.5
this was chill to listen to, not something i would've picked nor something i'll ever listen to again. 3/5
Definitely not my style and I don't have the background to appreciate all of it. Nevertheless, I rate this one pretty well on vibes alone.
Enjoyable, not earth shattering. Worth another go
An interesting listen, just not sure if it’s for me
Very listenable.
Very nice. No idea if it's good
Hard to rate given I don’t speak Pulaar, but the music itself is quite nice, inoffensive and different to anything else on this list. Would never choose it but not bad.
I was hoping for better even though I didnt know what to expect, it wasnt bad.
Quite like when world music comes up, it's something I'd never listen to or know about otherwise. I'd definitely like this more if I was on a beach in Senegal and not driving to work at 7am. It was alright.
Fín afrísk tónlist.
I didn’t understand the words but it’s got lots of songs with great sounds.
I’ve enjoyed a few things from Baaba Maal before in bits and pieces. There’s some really stunning work here, and when he sticks to a grander, more theatrical flavor, the songs work really well. Some of the more pop-tinged themes have some synths and instrumentation that feels overly dated at this point, but its still a really interesting listen.
This is an enjoyable album, even though I don't understand the language or know the culture. It speaks to the universality of music that it can be convey emotion even when it cannot be fully understood. Favorite track: "Yela"
I don’t feel it’s fair to rate this anything lower than a 3 as that would be because then, it would be because I don’t understand what’s being said. I wish there was a synopsis provided because perhaps I’d be able to understand the cultural significance of Lam Toro. The beats sound really good, but again, I don’t understand the significance of the lyrics and why this was selected for 1001 albums to listen to.
I like this as much as I’ve liked any of the African music I’ve heard in this list so far (not as much as Ali Farka Toure, more than Koffi Olomide). I’m happy to listen to it, but didn’t realize when the album ended and Spotify radio took over. It’s perfectly fine, but unremarkable without a deeper understanding of its context within Senegalese music history (which I don’t have).
Completo desconocido para mí. Solo me he guardado el tema Toro, pero vamos que hay mucho de las bandas sonoras de Black Panther y El Mandaloriano.
I’m so glad I heard this. I’ve heard about Maal for a while, but had no idea about his music. The vocals are a little too high in the register and intense for me, and I think the artist might be trying a little too hard for a “western fusion” sound sometimes on this album, but I definitely wouldn’t mind sampling more Babba Maal or hearing tracks from this album in a mix. A 3.
yela- 5 toro- 5 daande lenol- 5 hamady boiro- 5 daniibe- 5 gidelam- 5 olel- 5 sy sawande- 5 ndelorel- 5 lem gi- 5 minuit- 5
I enjoy a good world music album here & there, this one is no exception. I wouldn't call it spectacular but it was an enjoyable listen.
I don't like it but i don't hate it either. It wouldn't bother me if somebody listened to this in his car while driving, but i won't add any songs to my playlist.
offers some enchanting moments. This one hits the mark less often, and the crossover with western production values doesn't always work, such as on 'Gidelam' (_Dizzy Sheep_), which uses a synth and some slap bass to create a drive. At one point 'Olel' (_African Oil_) goes into something akin to the Lambada, and with the cheap synth it starts to feel more like Kofi Olomide. It's a cheap gameshow sound that reappears now again, such as on the plodding 'Lem Gi' (_Citrus Punch_). 'Hamady Boiro' (_Pass The Pen_) has too many cheesy synth touches and a dated drum sound. 'Minuit' (_Tiny Eskimo_) is the ultimate attempt to marry the Senagalese language with western rhythms and in many ways is the most successful. Had I heard this album first I may consider Maal a great proponent of western/Senagalese fusion, but as it is this album pales somewhat to the atmospheric authenticity of Djam Leeli. Nonetheless, he pulls some great melodies out the bag.
Lovely voice and a big variety of styles. Some are more rock, some African folk, some traditional rhythms. Jovial!
This started off strong, really evoking a sense of place for me. Felll away a bit as it went on. The naff synth sounds detracted from the music, and it could definitely have done with a bit of trimming. I like the vibe overall though
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. 2.5⭐️
As a whole I'm much prefer *Djam Leelii* to this entry in the book. This one has a problem every once in awhile in that it will go to this almost 80 style cheap keyboard, sound, which sounds out of place in 92. As for most of the other songs they actually are really good and probably would be on the same level as the previous album in the book, but some of those keyboard heavy tracks just really kind of took me out of it from time to time. (7.65) ★★★½
Okay Wesr African music with awfully dsted production. 3 stars
While I don't understand what is going on - I did enjoy listening my time listening to it. It's like transferring to another world.
Who the fuck is Baaba Maal and what was he doing on Comic Con??? (cool album)
Typical Afro Pop. Enjoyable enough of a listen but won't go back to it. 2.5/5
Ballt!
Hade låga förväntningar på att detta skulle vara något för mig men var ju både spännande och för det mesta välljudande!
It's nice to listen to.
3.75
Some good songs! I don’t know this genre very well but it was good background cooking music
Better than Coldplay
Not bad actually. I like it.
Interesting and really not bad. I doubt I'd come back to it much though.
Ok
Lots of talent caught for posterity on this album, and I can enjoy this form of African music in small doses, but a full album is perhaps a little much for me.
So much easier to move into culturally unfamiliar music with the help of a hybridizer like M.I.A, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Elvis. Then I watch Baaba Maal's video with Mumford and Sons and go, oh yeah, now I get it! Yeah, I'll check the Black Panther soundtrack and in a month this 3 might be a 5.
Made me want to rewatch the blank panther movies after I learned this artist had involved in the music for this films. Otherwise it was alright!
I don't think I've listened to Senegalese music before, so this was cool. There are some great guitar and drum moments throughout the album, plus some sweet percussion and flute on certain tracks. I'm not sure what is being sung, but Baaba Mal has a nice voice that interacts well with the backing vocalists. A pleasant listen. 7/10.
This was a cool album. I really liked some of the instrumentation. But some of it I wasn't the biggest fan of
Fun album! Can get a good sense of the vibe without knowing what he is singing about. Nice to see some more world music pop up on this list. The drums in African music are always so so good, this album did not disappoint. Was really into the vocal style as well. Gidelam and Minuit were faves 7/10
Pardon my ignorance, but this felt like world music for the sake of world music. There didn't seem to be a lot to find about this artist when I looked at their Wikipedia.
I don't really know how to rate albums like this. It's fine, but I have no idea how it stacks up against other similar artists or works. It's interesting, but I wouldn't listen to it again.
Großartig dieser Rhythmus! Wunderschöne Harmonien. Das Album hat mir den Blick auf afrikanische Musik und Kultur geöffnet!
Baaba Maal's work on this album is nothing short of energetic and vibrant. I don't have the appropriate level of context to really talk about him or his music, but this much really comes across to me. Also, this is quite different from his other album entry on the project. I didn't look far enough into Baaba Maal the first time, but it was brought to my attention with this album that he had part in creating the score for the Black Panther movies. I like to think I can really hear that flair for "traditional meets modern" in this album that also makes the Black Panther music so outstanding.
I'm digging the world music selection in this list, and this was pleasant enough, and I'd probably have enjoyed it more if I had context around the lyrics.
Some sick grooves
Senegalese, 90s. Lovely world music.
Lam Toro isn't an album that is all that special as it is just another afrobeat album but coming off the last two albums i just heard, it feels like heaven in comparison. I've never been aware of this guy or his music so i didn't really have much expectations going in but like i said, it has the typical sound of an afrobeat album. The songs here follow the typical norms of this type of music with some acoustic guitars, some electronic synths (a lot actually) and his voice. This is also a fairly long one too at around 58 minutes with many songs clocking in at 6-7 minutes. There isn't really anything all that special with this album, but for what it is, its a nice listen. Best Song: Sy Sawande Worst Song: Daande Lenol
A little different than some of the other world music I have heard. Wasn’t incredible but it was alright
By the time of Lam Toro's release, African musicians wielding guitars and conjuring up infectious contributions not just to their scene but to the music world at large was becoming the standard. Baaba Maal doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel but what he does with it is more than enough to ensure continual enjoyment for his audience. Favorites: Yela, Toro, Hamady Boiro, Daniibe, Gidelam, Sy Sawande, Ndelorel.
This was honestly a really groovy record. Sure, the lyrics were nonsense to me, but there is some really cool stuff here too.
I actually quite liked it, something a bit different.
It’s an enjoyable enough listen but I’m not sure I’ll revisit. I enjoyed the vocal performances and percussion the most. Has a lot of 80s synths and other sonic markers despite its release date; there’s a lot of talent here, but the production choices were distracting and obviously dated.
6/10 Favourite: Lem Gi Least Favourite: Daande Lenol
89/1089 Really solid afrobeats album, perhaps not the absolute best and it sounded a little dated at times but i enjoyed my time with it nonetheless fave: Daniibe 56/100
Enjoyable.
The early 90s based keyboard instruments quite literally ruin the songs they are in. I was around then and can say 100% for sure they sounded like crap then. They sound like crap now. This album good. But it REALLY suffers from the synth they used at the time.
not bad
Interesting.
Sounds like a Ridley Scott movie
I have never heard this artist before. It is quite good, especially the bass lines in a lot of the songs.
"Lam Toro" is the third studio album by Senegalese singer, guitarist and percussionist Baaba Maal. The album introduced his mix of traditional African rhythms and Western arrangements (keyboards, guitar, bass and horns). The album was produced by Simon Booth (English), Lester Mendez (Cuban), Joe Galdo (American) and Maal. The album opens with Maal's high-pitched vocals in "Yela." Sparse percussion and acoustic guitar. Backing vocals eventually come in responding to Maal. This song is more traditional African. "Hamady Boiro" adds guitar and rock/dance beat. Drums and background percussion in a more Western-sounding song. "Daniibe" starts softly with Maal talking and an acoustic guitar. A bass is coupled with an African instrument playing the melody and polyrhythms. Jazzy horns, handclaps, percussion and bass open "Gidelam." Here we go with the African-Western fusion. Impassioned vocals keyboards keeping the pace in a groovy song. Another fusion song "Kem Gi" has horns, sappy keyboards and a rumbling bass. Drums cone in. Deep vocals. This song has a movie song written all over it. I liked that this album had both traditional African songs and the African-Western fusion songs. I don't know if a total fusion album of this kind works for me. The African instruments included the percussion, woodwinds and string instruments while the Western instruments were jazzy guitar and horns, keyboards, 80's synths and a bluesy guitar (that could be African too). Maal vocals are great and soaring. The backing vocals are also very good. The vocals are all Senegalese (I believe) which never play a part for me from liking/disliking an album. This is a decent album which does a good in its fusion goal.
It's fine. Cool African music. Will I listen to it again? No.
liked this. no idea what it is about but sounds good
5/10. Voy a pecar de ignorante, pero para mí es como escuchar la BSO de El Rey León. Veo en internet que es uno de los músicos más importantes de Senegal, pero me temo que en Occidente no estamos preparados para esto. Algún tema está guapete.
No necesitas entender las letras para disfrutar. Como me pasa con otros grupos que cantan en idiomas que no logro entender, la voz es otro instrumento más, capaz de hacer sentir a través de sus cualidades únicas. Entonces, ¿Lam Toro se salva tan solo con su musicalidad? Pues sí.
Baaba Maal is a completely new artist to me. I can’t say I disliked this album, but it’s not really my taste. Still, I imagine it would be fun to hear live.
Some unique and interesting sounds on here - variety, nuance, but as someone who concentrates on lyrics it's hard to review something in another language.
Okay, something a little different and in some way, a nice change and gives a broader spectrum. Although do find it harder to connect with. Maybe it’s my uncultured ear, but just not doing it for me. Also weird than none of this album is in top 20 songs on streaming services for him so maybe they will come later in the list. Not sure what more to say. Pleasant enough and nice to get a change but just doesn’t connect for me.
Things I liked: His massive top end! I could almost feel the windows shaking. The predominantly afrobeat songs (thankfully that was most of them). Things I didn’t like: The more ‘western’ songs, heavy electric guitar. Stick with what you know, Baaba. The use of cheap synthesisers. The fake sax was particularly bad. Bottom line…ok
Cool beats, interesting vocals, but I’m nowhere near worldly enough to truly appreciate it.