Djam Leelii

A Fantastic window into a wild and beautiful universe of African music. Interesting and inspiring instrumentation but the powerful vocals give this the full character of an intensely deserving classic

love this guy !

In the right mood this is the perfect album. Just laid back easy African jams. It probably helped that I listened to it while pretty sleepy

De Baaba Mal supimos a través de Real World con Passion (1989) y Call to prayer. Luego en Black Hawk derribado. Nomad Soul, fue el álbum más popular, pero de igual calidad que este que además fue una refrescante sorpresa por aquel entonces. Es toda una experiencia escuchar la música de Baaba, como la de Youssou N'Dour (más allá de 7 seconds, que no representa su música, por muy buena que sea la canción). Totalmente recomendable. Son canciones largas, más allá de los 5 minutos, con desarrollos repetitivos y la voz reconocible y mágica de Mal. Lam Tooro o Loodo ya exponen lo que será el disco, raíces de flok-blues americano le llaman algunos. Yo creo que es mucho más. No por diferente sino porque suena orgánico, no sobreproducido, te lleva directamente a otro nivel. Sehilam es una maravilla pero es difícil elegir alguna. Otros discos de una cosecha realmente estupenda, la del 89: Stone Roses de Stone Roses, Playing with Fire de Spacemen 3,New York de Lou Reed, Doolitle de Pixies, On Fire de Galaxie 500, Disintegration de The Cure, Paul´s Boutique de los Beastie Boys, Technique de New Order, Freedom de Neil Young, Let Love Rule de Lenny Kravitz, The Seeds of Love de Tears for Fears, Automatic de Jesus and Mary Chain, Love and Rockets de Love and Rockets, Dum-Dum de las Vaselines, Spike de Elvis Costello, Rhythm Nation de Janet Jackson, Mind Bomb de The The, Mothers Milk de los Red Hot Chili Peppers, Full Moon Fever de Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Ojalá Que Llueva Café de Juan Luis Guerra, Shahen-Shah Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Raw and the Cooked de los Fine Young Cannibals, Primal Scream de Primal Scream, The Whitey Album de Ciccone Youth, Lōc-ed After Dark de Tone Lōc, 3 Feet High and Rising de De La Soul, 101 de Depeche Mode, Like a Prayer de Madonna, Nick of Time de Bonnie Raitt, No More Mr. Nice Guy de Gang Starr, Raw Like Sushi de Neneh Cherry, The Real Thing de Faith No More, Liquidizer de Jesus Jones, Heart Shaped World de Chris Isaak, Bleach de Nirvana, Velveteen de Transvision Vamp, Pump de Aerosmith, The Healer de John Lee Hooker, Crossroads de Tracy Chapman, Hats de The Blue Nile, All Hail the Queen de Queen Latifah, Done by the Forces of Nature de los Jungle Brothers, Back on the Block de Quincy jones, Me and a Monkey on the Moon de Felt, Ninety de 808 State, Hallelujah EP de los Happy Mondays o Pump Up the Jam de Technotronic, If I Should Fall From Grace With God de The Pogues, Soul II Soul- Club Classics Vol. One, Nick of time de Bonnie Raitt… Y como placeres culpables: Cuts Both Ways de Gloria Stefan, Foreign Affair de Tina Turner, ...But Seriously de Phil Collins y Neither Fish Nor Flesh de Terence Trent D'Arby

The opening track "Lam Tooro" reminded me of English Electric Folk, while the title track, "Djam Leelii", is pure Blues. Even though I didn't understand a single word, I loved this album.

Loved this shit

Am too dumb to appreciate the artistry, but good vibing

No track was skippable I felt it in my solar plexus is now on my go to chill out

Fantastic album

Необычная музыка. С одной стороны, это африканская музыка, но есть французско-арабское влияние, которое проявляется в игре на гитаре. В целом, африканское звучание + гитара даёт очень необычный эффект. Стоящий альбом для прослушивания.

Me encantó escucharlo, salir de la rutina de escuchar rocksito gringo o britanico es rejuvenecedor, deberían argregar más música internacional a esta pinga 10/10.

Finalmente algo diferente de álbumes gringos o gringos europeos. 9/10

really like this. No idea what they are singing about but lovely sounds

This is what I came here for. Absolutely beautiful. Sounds totally fresh.

Extraordinarily beautiful. I loved the melodies, harmonies, instrumentation all the way through. Spotify calls Baaba Maal an "epic storyteller" making me regret that I don't understand the lyrics.

Those first few bars had me. I love this type of sound - not quite desert blues in the Ali Farka Toure mode, but pretty close in places. That guitar and then when the kora kicks in (yes, that's not all guitar you know...) This might be better in its original eight track package (although Kettodee is one of my favourite tracks). But it's pretty darned good anyway. I must have first heard Baaba Male on the old Andy Kershaw world music show on Radio 3. Not that it was really world music - just whatever Andy felt like playing really. Miss that show; there's not really been anything like it since and it made Sunday nights special. Tossing up between a 4 and a 5. Assume the shorter, eight track version and then add a point for not being in English anyway and it's a 5 from me. More non-English music please.

amazing

Dope album

Incredible album!

so beautiful

Amazing!!

SENEGAL!!! alussa luulee että intiaa..mutta ei... liian hyvä äänenlaatu.. these mfkers speak WOLOF.... wolofphones... top 20 jalkapallomaa... kakkostiimi AINA..AINA mm kupissa... espanja ykkönen...dogshit team...senegal kantaa.. nelosta olin antamassa mutta on vitosta annettu paskemmille albumeille (rodeohead) ja 2.77 average heh. average rating heh.... pistää niin vitun vihaksi.. tai pistäisi jos kiinnostaisi... meikä olen parempi ihiminen, ei tarvitse katella tommosia... parempi ihminen tietää objektiivisuuden. käsittämätön ääniskeippi... sielu uppoaa aavaan kitarahyrskyyn... pistää transsiin.. olisi uskomaton juna musiikki... maacina toro

Great African music. The vibe is perfect here

absolutely beautiful favorite track was probably Maacina Tooro, but the whole album is just so wonderful 10/10

Stupendous.

So this could just be the early stages of a crush talking, but I might just have a new favourite world music album. I was completely hooked from the get-go and the interest never faltered through the 9 tracks. This record really is something else. Baaba Maal has an amazing and unconventional voice, and the acoustic guitar of Mansour Seck is hauntingly beautiful. Adding on top of that the idiophone on for instance 'Muudo Hormo', and the result is an incredible atmosphere transporting the listener to somewhere else entirely. What impresses me is how the record manages to be so so groovy while still leaving plenty of space for contemplation. Definitely worthy of a lot more listens.

I’m in shock. Where did Baaba Maal emerge from? And how am I only hearing of him this moment? With Djam Leelii Maal and Mansour Seck have created one of the most hauntingly beautiful albums I’ve ever heard coming out of Africa. Maal’s vocal is both powerful and full of emotional range while Seck’s guitar playing will haunt my ears for days - not to mention the effect kora and balafon has on this record! Djam Leelii might easily end up in the top 5 of African records for me.. Until I’m sure I’m going to dive deeper into Baaba Maal’s discography and look forward to the March release of his upcoming album, Being.

A decolonial masterpiece!

After shirking my 1001 duties for a week, this is a mighty fine album to return to. Baaba Maal  was another one of the artists who were key to getting me hooked on African music. I didn't have Djam Leelii  but bought his next album Baayo - (which is also excellent). Thankfully my copy is still in good shape since I can't find the full Baayo LP on Spotify or YouTube.  The guitars and his voice are quite amazing. Not much else to talk about but that is definitely enough.

1989 - World Music (hard to describe - Classic guitar; Xylophone; Steel Drum; Chant)

I discovered Baaba in college, so I knew what I was getting into. Love the instrumentation and the hauntingly beautiful singing. I could listen to this all day forever.

está bueno ! no sé si lo voy a estar escuchando tan seguido pero para cortar con algo distinto va. 4/5.

Solid music - the guitars sound very "deep" and I can't explain it better than that. 3.5/5 -> 4/5

Interesting-enjoyable-surprising

7/10 Only being familiar with bits and pieces of Senegalese music, namely Youssou N’Dour and Orchestra Baobab, I was interested to hear another couple of artists from that country in the form of Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck. The first thing that struck me about this album was how the vocal had a tendency to drift a little towards a microtonal style more frequently associated with Arabic and Indian music. But blended with the staccato, clean guitar work that was as much rhythmic in effect as it was tonal, there was a familiar undercurrent to the makeup of the grooves, and it was a blend that I gelled with more and more as the record progressed. That percussive tonal approach is one that can take a little getting used to when approaching from a western popular music tradition, because it can make the tonal elements feel a little on the repetitive side, but when considered as part of the rhythmic base of the track, set against the more freeform melodic approach of the second guitar, the music really starts to come together. The track selection here has a decent amount of range to it, from the more upbeat, danceable Salminanam, to the more atmospheric, stripped back Djam Leelii, but there’s always an undercurrent of organic groove that begs for a toe tap or an all out body shuffle. While there is that range of pace and emphasis, it does all fall within a relatively narrow stylistic approach and, while that’s not a massive issue, it does lead to a touch of inertia creeping in here and there that slows the pace a little too much. With all that being said, I think this is a really interesting and engaging sound world in which to spend time and is certainly a worthy step outside of more run-of-the-mill western popular genres. The musicianship is excellent, the grooves are infectious and the vocals imbue the sound with an (as a westerner) other-worldly vibe that only enhances the depth and interest of the music. Lamtooro - This is quite an interesting blend, with the two guitars presenting an almost folky sound and the vocal leaning more towards the microtonal approach favoured in Arabic and Indian music. It’s a touch one paced and there’s not a lot of variety in what the guitars deliver, but the atmosphere is very good, and on an initial listen, it feels like one of those tracks that you need to just allow to envelop you. It’s not vastly exciting, but it’s a pleasant listen. Loodo - And now we drift a little more towards the West African style with which I’m more familiar. Subtle, organic drum beats and clean, interwoven guitar lines. There’s still that more classically Arabic vocal style, but the vocal harmonisations add more depth and range to the track. This is such a nice sound bed and the beat gives it a lovely, hypnotic feel. There’s some lovely, meandering guitar work that’s almost dreamlike in places and sharp and rhythmic in others. Lovely stuff. Muudo Hormo - Now we get a balafon thrown into the mix with the guitars, which adds another layer to the sonic palette. This is a slow moving, considered effort that again works well when you sink into it. The rhythms are lovely, despite the lack of drums and it’s got more of that shimmering, hypnotic groove to it. One of the guitar parts is very repetitive, but that acts as the pulse rather than anything else and there’s a lot more range and depth with the rest of the instrumentation that flows around it. More great work. Salminanam - The rhythms here are really nice again, and the blend of the grooves across the instruments is super engaging. The roaming yet centred guitar lines are excellent and the layered instrumentation and vocals weave around each other beautifully. This is the kind of thing I love, feeling incredibly organic and having a fluidity to it while being super tight. An excellent track. Maacina Tooro - The pace drops now, but the slow groove is still good. There’s a bit less layering going on, so things do feel a touch more repetitive. The guitar lines are great hooks though, and there is some slow evolution across the track. The layered vocals are pretty lush and the atmosphere of the production is really nice too. Not necessarily my favourite moment on the album, but it’s still a pleasant and enjoyable listen. Djam Leelii - The vibe to the opening of this is a nice departure, feeling darker and more foreboding. The guitar work is further drawn back to basics, and there’s a delicacy to it that’s engaging. The way the percussion drifts in and out is nice, while the meandering lead guitar over the basic pulse of the main guitar riff adds a lot of range and interest to the track. I think the blend of the two different vocals is really nice too. Bibbe Leydy - This is still pretty, but does start to settle into something that’s a touch less focused than what’s come before, I think. It feels a little bit more rambling and there feels like there’s a bit less connection between the vocal and the instrumental parts. It’s still pleasant enough, but it does start to drag a little and doesn’t feel like it either does enough to develop the ideas or manage to settle into that hypnotic groove that justifies the repetition. Sehilam - The groove picks back up again now and we get more adventurous yet focused guitar work in the lead to give this a bit more excitement and life than the last track. The vocal has a bit more of a hooky delivery too and the blend of rhythms across instrumentation and vocals is really nicely layered and has a great, shuffling bounce to it. It’s probably not the strongest work on the record, but it brings us back into that ballpark nicely and is a suitable way to round off the record.

I enjoyed that.

All the famous sounds of the Sahel are here - the mesmerizing repetitions and flourishes of the kora, the trancey polyrythms of layered percussion, the call and response vocals, the bouncey balafon. It's a meditative - pairing loops and variations constantly iterating and articulating, building light dissonance and gentle tension that ebbs away rather than peaking. The genre has been saturated and somewhat homogoneized and stagnated in the decades since by the Putomayo/Rough Guide/WOMAD world music institutions, that have turned it into a middle class object of cosmopolitan conspicuous consumption, but this is still a nice capture of the sound.

not sure why these are the words that are coming to my head, but well phrased. really liked this

Couldn’t understand a word but quite enjoyable.

Quite a piece!

Well, this really sent me down a Western Africa griot rabbit hole. I found the deeply layered instrumentals almost hypnotic. But, his voice is a bit grating, like I'm doing an internship in a minaret.

We trekken weer een blik etnische klanken open. Uit Senegal deze keer. Leuk hoor, maar halverwege het album weet je het wel. Al moet gezegd dat het eerst maar 8 tracks waren, en dat er later nog 4 bij zijn gezet. Pas bij terugzappen merk je dat er wel enige variatie in de muziek zit. Van dit soort platen vraag ik me altijd af: okee, wij ervaren dit als Afrikaanse muziek, maar misschien klinkt het voor Senegalezen wel heel westers? Want zo te horen spelen ze gewoon op gitaar en drums. Naja, we hebben er weer kennis van genomen. Een mager viertje.

This is great!

This was nice. I think I quite like Senegalese music

I really enjoyed this. Interesting combination of instruments and vocals. Probably not something I’d listen to on repeat but as a one-off it was good

Good, definitely not what I normally listen to but it's a fun time the music and instruments are full of life and very jubilant just making the whole time filled with fun.

Giving a shockingly high score for an album that I haven't saved any songs from but it's not the kind of release that needs standout songs. The whole decently sized runtime is a vibe, you can feel the emotion come through with such skill, a perfect musical fusion.

the African groove, multi-instruments, a cultural ride to the ear

Me gusta mucho

In this scorching 34 degree heat, this went down like an absolute treat Hypnotising Mesmerising Beautiful instrumentation from a beautiful nation

überraschend anregend. vier sterne

Beautiful, and so good to hear something properly different after last week's run of uninteresting country music.

This was super interesting to me because upon further research Baaba Maal was a component in the formation of Afro Celt Sound System; well I worked for LUSH for many years so that group I’m very familiar with. Simon Emerson a founding member was LUSH’ musical director and ACSS were on several of their recordings and I believe sound track a few of their spa treatments. More interesting to me because Emerson was also in a band with Alison Statton of Young Marble Giants which do one of my favourite songs of all time ‘Brand New Life’. Anyway, the earth is so small and we’re all connected and this made me feel all sorts of positivity today, plus it’s excellent. A lovely little record with very interesting (at least to me) lore.

Very, very nice. I added the title track to my playlist.

Stunning music, so well captured in the recording that it seems to transcend time and place. 1989 - what the hell? It somehow sounds like the future. Even the cover looks strikingly modern. Big thumbs up from me. Nice one, Mr Dimery.

Nice album. Good rhythms and a gentle sound.

This isn't something I would've ever considered listening to if not for this project but I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Great guitar playing all across this thing and some interesting vocals that almost acted as another another piece in these sparse, relaxing instrumentals. This is maybe a bit too repetitive to be as long as it is but for the most part this was very good overall.

Wow, the first song is really dreamy and hypnotic. Then that atmosphere continues. I actually really like the way the repetition of the instrumentals builds and builds. I was uncertain going into this because it’s so long, which is a huge turnoff for me. But I keep getting charmed by the music. It’s still too long, but what a lovely vibe. I’ve just read the Wikipedia page and apparently the last four tracks weren’t on the original release. As such, my score will be based on the eight original tracks. I try and do this as often as I can; many albums on this list exist on streaming as deluxe versions. I’m a SHORT ALBUM guy. If I can judge an album based on a 38-minute original vision instead of an 83-minute monstrosity, that’s what I’m going to do. I highly recommend this technique to others on this site. Must listen 344

Hypnotic. Nice working music. Goes a bit long but could grow on me.

enjoyed it! track 3 has the same melody as a song off 'the moon and antarctica' and so it led me to re-listen to that album. 3.5

I really enjoyed the guitar on this and the unusual nature of the music compared to the occasionally interminable 60s-70s us/uk rock on this list.

I like this album, a lot of diversity between tracks but not in the tracks themselves. Very repetitive. Love the vocals. I like this album, getting recommended albums like these is why I use 1001 generators

Love it

This was very good I enjoyed it whilst driving on a nice Sunday. It's a little too long though and starts to sounds like the album is playing again towards the end but overall very good

Surprised in a good way. Really enjoyed.

This is exactly the kind of album I was hoping to discover by doing this project. The vocals are beautiful and have an almost ancient, familiar feeling, even though I don’t understand the language. The instrumentation and acoustic guitar melodies are enchanting, and the percussion adds a hypnotic, trance-like vibe. I don’t know how to explain it, but this album soothed my nervous system.

Decidí comenzar con Maacina Tooro. La instrumentación me pareció fascinante, la voz no terminaba de encantarme. Decidí escuchar el disco completo y me pareció una completa belleza. Es cierto que no estoy acostumbrado a las voces africanas.

Generator users constantly complain about how there's too much britpop / post-punk / whatever on the list, and yet when they finally get an album that's refreshingly different, they murder it in the reviews... Make up your mind, people. This is a beautiful record, I loved every minute of it. Laid-back yet joyful, almost spiritual at times, it's a masterclass in subtlety and restraint. Each note feels right, with a wide range of modern and traditional instruments that flawlessly carry the soulful voice of Baaba Maal. The discreet inclusion of natural sounds adds to the dreamy mood of the album, inviting the listener to a contemplative trip through an endless landscape. However, I'm clearly less impressed by the more dance-oriented, groovier tracks like Salminanam and Kettojee ; it feels too much like party music, and kind of ruins the minimalist meditative mood. It's still a great discovery though. I'm a sucker for Malian / desert blues and traditional instruments like the balafon, but I don't know much about the Senegambian musical traditions, and this made me crave for more. 8/10

Fab, heerlijk om rustig mee te werken of iets van mediteren denk ik ook wel

Didn't understand a single word, but the music is beautiful. Cool listen!

African music with some pretty good guitar. Grew on me after a while.

Ich los nume die originale 8 Tracks sorry. so lang. ich ha s gfühl vo ihne au scho ghört zhaa ich goh mol wikipedia. he die erste zwei songs sind super cute und meeega warm. super schöni melodie und die klare gitarre gfalled mer afoch. verbind de sound au sehr mit westafrikanischer musig. es isch würkli cute, sehr sehr ruhig und au irgendwie 80er mit de bäss und so. glaaaub da isch e knapps vieri. moll.

I don't know why but I wasn't anticipating that I'd enjoy this album, but it's really cool. It's very hypnotic, I feel like I'm going into some sort of trance listening to this. It's very soulful and passionate but also calming. This reduced my cortisol levels and reset my vagus nerve. It's like an hour of musical medicine. Your enjoyment of it will be very situational but I'm chilling out to it and having a nice time. As an experience it's cool, but I don't know when I'd choose to listen to it again.

This was a surprise, it was a quite pleasant listen to have on in the background, overall I enjoyed this and may come back to this artist

I had Maal's other, solo album a couple hundred albums back. I didn't know what to make of it then, and I don't quite know if that's changed. The sound of the album is very expensive, almost as a perfect soundtrack to the deserts from whence its creators came. The use of familiar instruments like the guitar makes this music more easily digestible to the average American while still allowing it to retain its distinct West African flavor. The vocals work extremely well within the album's context, though lyrics are not in a language I can speak and therefore inscrutable to me. These albums tend to be the hardest to rate due to their myriad differences from Western music, but I found myself enjoying this. I recommend this for a unique experience that is unlike the vast majority of this list's albums and will help expand your cultural awareness at least somewhat.

Very nice to have on

I spent this album thinking about the future, with all the anxiety of a potential move and an unclear living situation. I had no expectations going into this, but it was a very pleasant experience! Djam Leelii sounds like sunlight filtering through leaves, or like walking through a jungle. The instrumentals here create natural, gentle, and relaxing vibe with a lot of meditative guitar and nature sounds. These blend with the more traditional African drums and the chant-like vocals to create some gorgeous moments when the album clicks the most. While Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck do their best work in these quieter, more introspective moments, the project begins to lose its charm when it gets busier. Highlights: Loodo, Muudo Hormo, Salminanam, Maacina Toro, Djam Leelii

This is one of my biggest surprises. So much of this was soothing and moody and almost sad(?) but in a good way. I did not expect to like this as much as I did. “Lam Tooro,” “Maacina Tooro,” and “Sehilam” were my favorite tracks, but this was a great journey of an album. I don’t think I’ll revisit this much, but I’m so glad I heard it.

Fantastic stuff. I need to find more like this.

Relaxing, nostalgic, cheerful

That was very nice. Exactly what I needed right then. Having a relaxing lunch after a nice sunny walk/hike. I especially like the 4th track Salminanam

4.5 Guitar is entrancing at times. Not understanding the vocals allowed me to focus on the music more in a way I feel

La música es el lenguaje del mundo

Not for everyone but I find this album incredibly moving. No idea what the lyrics mean the singers voice is passionate and other worldly. I found myself transported to another place and time listening. Wholly unique/beautiful listening experience if you give it the chance to take over

A couple of tunes were quite catchy. The rest was a pleasant listen. Last tune was a bit rubbish, but overall something I would never have chosen to listen to, but glad that I did.

Schitterende west-Afrikaanse soundscapes. Beetje hypnotiserend, af en toe wat intenser. Onzettend mooi.

I've been in the mood for some good African music for a little bit today, so this was what I needed. Some great singing and some really interesting percussion on some of the songs. A lot of these songs have a really hypnotic feel to them that made the album as a whole go by surprisingly fast, given its runtime. I don't have as much to say with this one because of how far out of my normal listening range this album is, but it's pretty good.

Strange but good!

Fun, different, thoroughly enjoyable.

8/10

Beautiful. The adventurers indeed! Perhaps a bit longer than it needed to be. Gorgeous percussion and looping, dancing gentle twilight. Had spent time with a later album of his, perfer this. Will be returning.

Now this is something I really wanted from this list. 1001 albums to listen to should not be "here are Robert dimery's 1001 favourite albums", or even the 'best' 1001 albums. Do I plan on listening to more Senegalese folk music? No. Did I actually really enjoy this as an album? Yes. The guitar work is wonderful, it feels full and interesting and enjoyable to listen to. These people saying it's droning -- were they listening to the same thing? A little bit of the same thing for an hour but...still a pretty good thing. 3.5/5 for the music but just because this is the first time I've gone hell yeah this is an album people should listen to because it's a culture we in the West aren't exposed to, it's a 4.5/5. What the list was made for.

7/10 Best songs: Muudo Hormo A timeless Senegalese album. It avoids a lot of the tropes inherent to western music, starting with the need to have short, focused tracks with a climax. In this case it's not a bad thing: each song is different from one another and I find them all quite compelling, almost hypnotic in their focus on beats and seemingly improvised (but probably not) variations of the same melodies. I enjoyed this album as pleasant background music.

Really enjoyed this one. There's an 8-song version and a 12-song version. I'd go with the 8-song version. The extra 4 songs sorta drag and lower the energy. I keep hearing these sorts of albums (Senegalese, "desert blues") and being surprised that these sounds haven't made their way into the mainstream yet. Would be really cool. 4/5 (for 8 song version)

Delightful - feels almost ambient in that the songs flow with very repetitive chord progressions, subtle instrumentation and not much in the way of hooks, but still a great listen. Obviously, I suffer the usual british problem of not understanding the language of the lyrics, but for this it doesn't seem to matter - the vibe is impeccable. 4 - only misses on a 5 because it's more ambient than memorable

Great vibes, love the mix of influences.

If I understood anything it would be +1

As I may have described here before, I am a sucker for sub-Saharan music. Entrancing, hypnotic, subtly rhythmic, exploratory. Easy to feel you've heard it all before, but each cut goes somewhere new, adding a rhythm here or an echo of the kora there. Differing guitar styles abound. Joyful. Takes me down ten anger levels instantly.

This soothed my soul during troubling times

Love love love it! Reminds me quite a bit of Mdou Moctar or Vieux Farka Touré, who I also love. Actually got ot see Vieux perform live once--right around the corner from my house 🤯

This was surprisingly good. I really liked the guitar work and the layering of instruments. Lam Tooro and Djam Leelii are my favourites on the album, but some of the others are also pretty good.

Enjoyed it

I found it quite easy to chill out and relax listening to this. The two artists combine together really nicely, playing off each other and creating an atmosphere. I do like the analogy of a river as this album does nicely float along, taking you with it. Definitely something you have to be in the mood for but it works despite the lack of language comprehension.

The album starts with such a great tone and recording quality that I was instantly captivated. I sometimes find with "world music" you get something that is culturally interesting but limited by the production quality. Not the case here. This album sounds great, intimate guitars with great tone, mixed well with traditional percussion instruments and bags of detail and intimacy. It's a long album, but my attention was held throughout. At first it seemed like a purely Senegalese folk vibe, but I noticed some western influences from blues and Jazz creeping in, particularly in the title track which was excellent. I also found my lack of Pulaar to be less of a detracting factor than I thought I might, although it is a shame that I struggled to find lyric translations from my usual sources. I really enjoyed this and I can see that it has potential for many replays. I look forward to relistening and floating back to the Senegal river.

3.7 Pleasantly surprised by that. I've normally not been a fan of the non-Western songs that have appeared on this list but there was something quite peaceful, soothing, yet emotive about this. It weirdly reminded me of an acoustic album by a black metal band I'm into, with it's repetitive yet almost tantric rhythms. Saved a few down, will listen to again.

Good background music. I have no idea what they are singing but I could listen to this and work at the same time without getting distracted by lyrics but also without being bored to sleep. Pretty cool.

This album was recommended to me immediately after The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. The experience is so different that it's hard to believe that Baaba Maal and Trent Reznor belong to the same species, let alone are both musicians. It is almost literally music from two different planets. What Reznor is electronic, heavy, and industrial. And hopeless. What Maal does in light, airy, and full of traditional acoustic instruments that evoke the feeling of being in the woods. Both are abundantly talented. One is the son of fisherman from Senegal. The other is the scion of a Pennsylvania family that made its fortune in the air conditioner business. I hear more joy, wonder and variety in Maal's songs. But I'd be dishonest if I said vastly preferred one artist over the other. I simply don't know what Maal is singing about. So I liked this album but I don't know how often I'll come back to it.

Really good album but some of the songs area a tad too long. Take say half an hour off this and it’s a definite five star

A very pretty album from to great Senegalese artists. The guitar playing is so intricate that you have to give it attention. Unlike anything I’ve heard before.

I'm glad I found this album.

Very cool! Never heard of him, this mix of musical styles really works for me. I love Mdou Moctar, and I feel I now know where he started from. Cool!

I'd heard Baaba Maal before and knew he had a great voice but had never really explored his output. I'm glad this project prompted me to give this a listen Lovely relaxing and dreamlike sound. I read through some of the reviews and it was depressing how many Americans (I have no way of knowing they are Americans, but let's face it, they are) were dismissing this simply because it wasn't in English or it was too repetitive. Where do you think your popular music originates from, bozo!

Nice, quite different atmosphere of music from which you know as a "western" music listener but totally relaxing and takes you on a journey.

Erinnert mich stark an Mdou Moctar (auch wenn anderes afrikanisches Land. Gerade gegen Ende, wenn die Blues-Einflüsse am meisten durchkommen, ist das schon richtig stark. Zwischenzeitlich verliert mich die Platte aber etwas, da doch zu gleichförmig. Und vor den Bonus-Tracks sollte man wirklich abbrechen. Der Qualitätsabfall ist schon beachtlich. Fun Fact: Der eine Typ hat vor knapp 10 Jahren mal ne EP mit Mumford & Sons veröffentlicht. Da waren auch gute Songs dabei.

War wirklich interessant mal Musik auf der Muttersprache vieler meiner Klient*innen zu hören, fand es auch auf Albumlänge echt nicht langweilig.

Sehr interessant (durchaus wörtlich gemeint). Werde ich wohl nicht zu Hause mit, aber funktioniert als Album definitiv sehr gut.

Puh, für mich wieder so ein klassischer Fall von "einzelne Songs ja, ganzes Album nein". Auch weil, mal wieder, die Länge des Albums hier negativ einwirkt. Könnte ich jetzt ne 3 geben, da ich die Songs für sich genommen aber spannend finde (ist auch ja mal ganz was Anderes), gebe ich hier nochmal nen Bonusstern.

I enjoyed listening to this, but I have no capacity to speak to it. It could be great or lousy by Senegalese standards, but I trust that it is great.

Such a delightfully charming record. Had this on while doing dishes and it made me enjoy the task instead of dreading it

Veldig deilig afrikansk musikk. Treffer godt!

Beautiful. Nice mellow music, perfect to have on while working on something that needs concentration.

Hypnotic and immersive in a way that I've only really felt with psychedelic music and hill country blues. Very looping and repetitive in the best way.

This guitar sounds so pretty! It actually kinda reminds me of the acoustic side of Rust Never Sleeps? Plus there's a lot of call and response vocals, which I always love. Would never have come across this one without this site, thanks!

A pretty good album, I liked Lam Tooro, Muudo Hormo and Sehilam the most.

> The Beatles Very pleasant and enjoyable

Gostei muito! World music no seu melhor!

very nice vibes, Ițm thnakful for this recomandation

The Good: We learn a different language! The Bad: We can’t find a teacher for this language… The Ugly: Trying to figure out if Djam Leelii means Pearl Jam… I wonder how many will figure out that last line… What’s there to say about these “world” albums that we are given every now and again? I would say, not enough… However, as with my comments on any other world albums, it would be nice to know what exactly the singer is singing about. Reading the story of Baaba Maal, I am fascinated by this story, and thus by this album. Listening to his mentor wail in Pulaar makes me feel like a baby trying to understand what the grown-ups are telling me to do. I will agree with some of the comments people have left regarding the album, that it is a tad too long… if this would have been around the 35 minute mark, this would be a 4 1/2* album for me… instead, 3 1/2*

interesting

Very good.

4/5

I really liked it. Gentle rhythms, smooth vibes.

Good sounds. I enjoyed the album

This was really one I could not get into, primarily because of my mood. It's a slower album with a lot of beautiful melodies. I know it is one I would love to revisit on a different day to see how I feel.

not my favorite, but fun to have a whole different style of music

Best Song: Djam Leeli Interesting listen. Definitely not gonna be added in the rotation. 4/5

almost forgot to even listen to my album of the day cuz i was caught up playing ufo 50 HFJFHSJFS. but i pulled myself together to listen to this rly great record...endlessly lush, and so hypnotic that it makes me feel like the word "hypnotic" applies a little less to any other music ive applied it to. this rly is just trance-focused, with only a small amount of musical phrases and progressions looped endlessly per song,,,and the quality of them especially when paired with all the cool instruments theyre played on gives a record that scratches many of my itches nicely. also i usually take the album cover straight from the website when i upload these entries to social media, but i went out of my way to use the original, much better cover art for this one

Yay! I recognized this artists from one of his newer songs

Beautifully enchanting and hypnotic. Stripped-back arrangement that drew me in. I found it very moving but at times felt that it could benefit from a touch more dynamism.

truly vibes are the universal language of the human race

This is an artist whose biography surprised me greatly—I hadn’t heard of Baaba Maal before now, but he’s played an influential role in several things I am familiar with! I enjoy how the music becomes a backing, rhythmic track for Maal’s voice, while still having these little elements that stand out. They all have little moments of peeking through, whether it’s the electric burble of a guitar or a drum beat shift for a bar or two. A great discovery all around!

Very pretty music, a lot of fantastic stuff comes out of West Africa

afrikaanse drone... mocht iets korter zijn

Always excellent to see a non-English album on the list. This one is very good, but the tracks are very difficult to distinguish to my primarily-English language hearing. This album doesn't move me quite as much as some other World music, but it is still great. Favorite track: probably either "Djam Leelii" or "Maacina Tooro"

Really cool album that I had never heard of before.

Nice- an enjoyable new to me album.

Interesting, if perhaps a little long for my tastes.

Beautiful album. Understated but not simple. Would be better if I understood the language in Senegal. Really beautiful listening.

africa

Cool listen and perfect for my day at work! Not sure if I’ll go back to it, but enjoyed it today.

Beautiful use of timing and rhythm. It's so precise, at first I thought YouTube was skipping. However, the songs are long and get kinda monotonous. I'ma have a sesh with Towlie and I'll bet this'll knock my socks off.

I'm not likely to return to it, but it was a chill time.

Immediately upon listening to this I'm thinking about the modern singer songwriter that's given indie music fans a reason to be excited: Mk.Gee. I think it's mostly in the guitar tone; it sounds like "DI" or "Direct-in", where the guitar is recorded by being plugged in directly to an interface, and not amped and then having the amp mic'd. That's THE sound right now in indie rock music- because of Mk.Gee (and Dijon). This album of course came out decades before him, but it's funny to me because that sound has really been disliked for decades and just within the past year or two it's now ubiquitous. I don't mean for all of this to be about another artist however; this album is really enjoyable. Outside of the guitar tone, the compositions are very impressive. I particularly like how they seem to reach for classical music ideas, and add in a lot of worldly stuff elsewhere, like: "Lam Tooro" sounds like a medieval waltz on a harpsichord. "Muudo Hormo" sounds like what a flow state feels like, and when you get too much in the zone, the microtonal marimba calmly comes in and hits you with a beautiful melodic and rhythmic sequence. The more I listened to this song the more I really was captivated by it. I've always been attracted to modern classical minimalism- (like Steve Reich) with it's gorgeous repetitions that let you drone in and out and experience music in a way that feels so different from traditional American popular music, and this does an amazing job at that. I'd say that this is actually one of my favorite tracks that I've discovered from this list. It's incredible! I love the album cover. Even though it's from 1989 it looks ahead of it's time and definitely like something that would come out of the 90's.

Not much to say. Just some nice world music. Solid 4 Stars.

I’m at a 4. Just a better version of Lam Toro, really. My big issues with that album were that it was too long, and that the sense of progression got completely lost by track 7 and beyond, with each track hitting a stale point way too fast, making the whole thing feel like an exercise in enduring repetition. Good soundscapes, but not very compelling listens. This album remedies that to a nicer degree; even though each track here is about 6:02 long on average (if you’re only doing the original 8 tracks like I did), they don’t hit that stale point early enough for it to be a bigger deal. Yes, there’s still repetition abound in this thing, and mileage may ultimately vary on how much you can endure the first minute or two of each track, which sets up the foundation that gets layered upon every time, but for my tastes, it’s a less bothersome repetition than what was present on Lam Toro. It also helps that a lot more of these tracks have a better overall structure, cutting out some of (but not all) of the “fat” that got left in. There’s not as many moments of tracks looping at a specific point for 2-3 minutes at a time, and the vocals have a much more constant presence, giving each track a good sense of progression. Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot more, just because it’s paced much better. That said, I’m still only at a 4 because, for the most part, this album never quite evoked a bigger sense of imagery for me. On other primarily instrumental albums, I can feel the vibe a soundscape is going for, and get sort of whisked away by my brain, connecting to the music in a deeper fashion. This album only got there maybe two or three times, which isn’t bad for 8 tracks, but the other 5 or 6 times literally evoked nothing from me. They’re good listens, but they are basically just wallpaper to the brain. If this album did a little more with its sound design, perhaps I could’ve entered that state more, but the music speaks for itself well enough. It just didn’t quite speak to *me* like that. It’s a good one though, and it clicked nicely for me. Still just a 4, ending a streak of 5s for me, but a solid 4 regardless. I wouldn’t blame anyone if they went for a 3 or lower, though.

Djam Leelii - Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck Sounds like music from the Middle East a part of the world that I have no interest in ever visiting except via albums like this one. I liked the music, peaceful, interesting, enigmatic yet familiar. This album seemed to last forever but it did not bore me, however I did find myself drifting to never never land a couple times and towards the end the music just became part of the background. It's closer to a 4 than a 3 so I'll give it a 4. I would buy this album if given a chance as I would like to play it at bedtime and just drift into the music. I bet I would have pretty interesting dreams.

I really liked the vibe of this. Very spacey and meditative

This album honestly kinda slaps. The instruments through this is very uplifting.

Senegalese musicians collaborating. reminds me of Ali zfsrka Touré

Absolutely not anything that i would’ve found myself or chose to listen to outside of a project like this. However, it really holds its own as a unique sound. The guitar on here is what spoke to me the most, as i couldn’t relate much to the lyrics here - but was able to surmise something from the beautifully haunting progressions.

I would give this a 3.5, as I think it is too repetitive and lacks variation, for my tastes. However, I could see how, for someone that just really loves the music and mood, that would not be an issue. I do really like a lot of the guitar work, and I personally like the vocal style, and I would listen to this again, though I'd put it on in the background while doing housework or something like that.

i enjoyed this a lot while cooking dinner.

Great music from Senegal.

I found this calm, melodic, and very easy to warm to. Great guitar tones are a feature, crisp and resonant. Criticism, need it be had, may lie in the album length, the lack of variety, and the a couple of instances where the warm vocals tip into more of a tinny timbre - such as on 'Ko Won Mayo' (_Who won the mayonaisse_). In fact the final run of three or so songs sounds more antiquated and loses a bit of warmth - the acoustic guitar replaced by the harsher sounding hoddu (first thing I learned in first grade music class). But in today's world of noise and overproduction (chill Gramps!), this is offers some meditative respite. An enjoyable journey across the Senagalese plains.

i loved the instrumental parts but unfortunately i wasn’t a huge fan of his voice. but the music itself was so compelling to me that i really forced myself to concentrate on it over the vocals.

Bi so albe esch ergendwie emmer s risiko dass es halt e chline ongwonti musig esch ond mer sech zerscht ned dra gwönnt hed, s met de ziit aber huere guet werd. Ech versuechs jetzt trozdem mol noch es paar mol lose ond es paar täg ziit: Wie halt vel afrikanischi musig esches Rhytmisch extrem starch. Au söscht fiiri de Vibe ond wie ganz vel of einisch abgod was im Albom au tüüfi ged ond mer ohni problem lang cha aktiv zuelose. De einzig kritikponkt esch e chli dass dä gsang ned so mine esch. Das cha sech aber jo no ändere...

Djam Leelii is the debut studio album from Senegalese musicians Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck. Maal is a guitarist, percussionist, and vocalist, who sings primarily in Pulaar, a Senegalese language. Seck is a vocalist and instrumentalist, whose career was boosted by his collaborations with Maal. This album is an interesting collection of songs from a distinct, non-western tradition. Maal was one of the early beneficiaries of an interest in "world music," and became internationally famous as a result.

What I love about album a day is how may great albums I’ve never heard of like this one that show up. Never heard of this at all and I’m really digging it. “Salminanam” is just wonderful. I love the sounds here. This album is great. I really like the way the different instruments come together with the vocals.

Always enjoyable, somewhat monotonous at times, upbeat.

Bedre end den sidste, som jeg egentlig også syntes var ret god. Første og sidste numre er fantastiske. Noget af det lyder som Ali Farka Touré

I’ve never heard of Baaba Maal before, but I tend to enjoy African music, so I have high hopes that I’ll enjoy this album. I think my most recent African album that I reviewed was by Koffi Olomide, and I didn’t care for that at all, so here’s hoping that Baaba Maal will wash that from my memory! I thought Djam Leelii was a great album. The first track, “Lam Tooro” was fantastic, and its hypnotic guitar melody really hooked me in. “Loodo” was really good too, but I really loved the percussion elements on “Muudo Hormo.” There was something that sounded like a xylophone on “Bibbe Leydy” that I really enjoyed as well. Even though only half of the songs stood out to me, I thought this whole album had a fantastic sound that I really enjoyed. The melodies were a bit repetitive, but I didn’t mind, because they were all incredibly beautiful. The only thing about this album that I didn’t really care for was the vocals, but they weren’t enough to detract from the music. I do wish I had gotten something from the lyrics on this album as well, but that’s the drawback from not speaking Senegalese I suppose. All in all, this was a great album with a really unique and refreshing sound.

Never heard of this before, but I think it's great! Absolutely lovely guitar playing, and some very interesting percussion. It's a great recording as well, sounds very lively. Obviously I don't have a clue what any of the songs are about, but the singing is very emotive. Will definitely be listening to this again.

Different, I wouldn't have picked it out for myself, but I was vibin'! Nice background music

This is probably the first album to come up where I just had no idea what to expect. I was surprised by the electric instrumentation from the jump though. The tracks are droney and repetitive, and I don't speak the language so this wants to fall into the background of my attention. Good vibes though, with some really pretty instrumentation in spots. This is probably going into the "Background music that isn't too distracting while I'm at work" rotation. It's cool that it made the list

Listening to this was a really neat experience. I've not listened to music outside the western/developed world much, and this was a very well crafted album. The guitar work on this stands out in particular. Really appreciate this album appearing on the list.

I took a while to warm to it but then I really did. Its the sort of exotic obscure stuff that impresses people at sophisticated dinner parties.

interesting sound, relaxing

This album is awesome. It sounds like it comes from an alien planet but not in like a silly cartoony way, it’s more like there’s nothing to compare it to so it may as well be alien. The magic of this album is it is made by a traditional African musician who recorded this album in Paris with electronic music weaved in. Honestly it’s so pleasant and atmospheric. I obviously can’t comment on the lyrics cause I can’t understand them obviously but the instrumentation is what makes this album really special. It’s not a no skip album and some of the vocals can be grating and uncomfortable. However I still really enjoyed this album and I’m already recommending this album to people I know who have a very open mind musically.

really do enjoy the African albums we’ve had on this list. Such a nice change from the predominantly white boy rock. The star here is the guitar playing, which is kind of bluesy in places. I’m a fan of the repetitive style of west African music, really gets in a groove. The vocals are the kind of marmite element here, took a while to get used to the style. There were a couple of songs where they were more dominant, but mostly balanced nicely with the music. Nice.

Very hypnotic, the repetition serves to add to whole vibe rather than detract from it.

Completely different from anything I've heard before, very relaxing.

Very nice. Excellent background music. Goes great for yoga time!

The collaboration between Mansour Seck and Baaba Maal on this album is astounding. Seck’s guitar playing is incredibly beautiful and Maal’s singing evokes such a wide range of emotions, even though I have no idea what he’s saying. It proves that music is a lot about feeling rather than understanding. Even if we don’t speak the same language, we are all connected by a soulful thread. Favorites: the three song run of Salminanam, Maacina Tooro, and Djam Leeli is excellent.

World Music, immer wieder schön zu hören wie vielseitig Musik sein kann.

Instrumentation tends to be an afterthought in a lot of folk music, and as someone who doesn't enjoy vocals, that puts most of the genre outside of my interests. But seeing a folk album that puts great emphasis on the instruments, and that are not the western-style ones I'm used to and don't particularly enjoy, feels great. Sure, it's repetitive, but when the repeating part sounds this good, it doesn't really matter. Also, hats off to the production team. Both the instruments and vocals sound extremely clean, and the noise floor that frequently sours the experience of chill folk records is almost nonexistent (apart from the first half of track 6, for some reason). I know nothing of the culture this comes from and don't understand the language, but the vibes here are immaculate. It's lush and dreamy and pleasant to the ear. This is a relaxing, feel-good record done extremely well. This kind of style is not exactly for me (I enjoy louder, more layered sound), but although I wasn't blown away, I can't say I wasn't surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

When one hears in the right mood and circumstances, this has a major impact. It's lovely and lilting, expressive of deep and urgent yearnings (that's what one hears anyway) and then moves on. One only wishes one spoke griot so one could dig even more deeply.

Loved the music. Took awhile to get used to the voice

This is just really good. I bet you didn’t expect that from me.

I mean, I'm always a fan of West African music and this is right up there with the best of them. Not a surprise, but a damn good listen

A really good listen. Super pleasant and full sound, with Baaba's voice not too much in the forefront (which was my qualm with the other record I had by him). He lets th guitar and drums interplay and do most of the work, nice! 7/10

Outstanding.

Loved this - very beautiful, and wish I knew a bit more about it.

Music that makes you smile.

Pure and powerful, satisfyingly melodic, and, one senses, deep-rooted, to the point that one wishes one spoke the language to receieve the wisdom of the griot. Puts a lot of our manufactured pop dreck to shame. One has no ideas’ what’s being sung but it sounds prett soulful, ringing authentic and meaningful. The lilting and contemplative "Maacina Tooro" might be best cut but the whole thing works well, with a richly melancholic feel across many cuts. Is it wrong (or just embarrassing or jejeune) to say that a lot of West African music sounds alike?

This is a lovely album to listen to. But as a monoglot anglophone, I've no idea what the songs are about!

Straight fire. Not sth I'd usually listen to, but fire none the less!

Walking down the street in one of my shirts while wearing this felt dangerously close to cultural appropriation. The dance I was doing probably didn’t help. This is really cool though, great tavern music because we’ve got a lute & a harp in the back, I think. So glad it’s here. Nothing added to my playlist, 2 added to the 1001 playlist

I will only focus on the eight tracks of the original release for this review. This looks to be another one of those world-view-enriching experiences for the list. In this case, Djam Leelii is the first collaborative album between Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck, two Senegal-based singer-songwriters and guitarists. These two studied the musical traditions of the West African regions of Mauritania and Mali, and the two formed a band known as Dande Lenol which translates to "The People's Voice", and would play for the Senegalese immigrant communities of Paris. Their hard work bore fruit in the form of this album with its title translating to "The Adventurers". Sonically, this is a delightful indulgence of two men with their acoustic guitars singing wonderfully. Baaba and Mansour showed such wonderful chemistry for each other, aided by the light percussion from Papa Dieye, and the incorporation of more common Malian ensemble instruments such as the kora which is a lute-harp, and the balafon which is a slat xylophone with small gourd resonators. One of the best examples of this unison of instruments is on "Muudo Hormo" where the balafon acts as a sonic anchor for the group to follow suit in a melodic sway. As much as I enjoy Djam Leeli from a pure audible standpoint, it is unfortunate that there have been no posted lyrics for this album. Baaba Maal primarily wrote the lyrics in the native Palaar language, and it would be nice to translate them and have some insight into what they wrote about outside of speculation. Even without the context behind these songs, Djam Leelii is still a pleasant listen and worth the inclusion on this list.

Beautiful Album, Saved it, need to revisit it soon. All sounded like a mish mash of the same vocals and instruments the entire album. Thought it would be a good album to play my wife to chill her out.

Always glad to hear some world music on the list and was enjoying at first, but it did drag on too long. Some really nice parts throughout, would have liked some of the later tracks cut but overall pretty good. Never would have found this outside the 1001 project, 3.5/5 rating up as I feel the global average is too low

Very pleasant listen. I was a bit zoned out from exhaustion to give it proper attention

This was really lovely and I never would have heard it if it was not for this project.

It's great to hear some African music on this list. There are so many great artists and genres there that I don't get enough exposure to. This one was new to me and a really enjoyable ride.

É um álbum gostosinho de ouvir. Bem rítmico e com umas músicas viciantes. Por exemplo: Lamtooro, Maacina Tooro, Kettodee e Daande Lenol. Vou ouvir mais vezes

Compelling stuff, even though I have no idea what’s being said. The timing, the vibe, it’s all great. It also manages to dodge some of the 80s textures when it comes to how it sounds present day. It holds up.

Day 0007/1001 of One Album a Day A very relaxing and calmfull listen. Have to say I'm not particularly familiar with the genre of Spiritual Afro-Islamic Soul but was pleasantly suprised by this. Will definately be listening to this whilst working/studying in the future. Hard to pinpoint any favourite/least favourite tracks as the whole album flows in an incredibly seamless way.

Excellent, catchy acoustic guitar with some kalimba, but vocals grate on the ear.

Underrated gem! Completely different from the rest of the list and is great to relax to.

Honestly really pleasant. Had this dense atmosphere but felt enlightening.

This is cool.

Rules.

Found this really relaxing and calming. Wouldn't have heard of it or listened to it if it hadn't been generated! I really loved the guitar melodies and the percussion

Really enjoyed it

Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck - Djam Leelii This was the one I was scared of the most when I went on on this, but I absolutely loved this album. Yes it's way out of the way of music I listen to, but it's was an awesome discovery for me. (8.33) ★★★★

Besides the great music, the liner notes of Ian Anderson about this album are fascinating: "The tale of how this record finally got released here is too involved to repeat in full. One copy of the original cassette found its way to Britain and acquired legendary status among devotees of West African music. Dreams of tracking down the tapes continued unfulfilled for several years until Baaba's English debut in 1988. By then, the original mixes were long lost, but the multi-track tapes of most of the songs were unearthed in Dakar. Hunting for the remainder met a dead end but, to our joy, produced the tapes of another whole session recorded some months earlier. What you have here is a nearly-lost classic of Senegalese music. In November 1988, Baaba and Mansour got together again for a triumphant London concert, proving beyond doubt that this acoustic setting for his music remains equally powerful alongside the complex might of the current electric band"

Super glad I listened to this. I wish I was high while it was playing, super trancey, but super simple as well. Something about listening to a foreign language sing is so beautiful. Loved this. Fav Songs: Maacina Tooro

East African music has a cool sound. No idea how this one from Baaba Maal compares, but I enjoyed listening to it. The high warbling vocals were a little too much for me at times, but the guitar and percussion are warm and enveloping.

West-African music is amazing. I love the almost meditative nature of the guitar and the percussion. I love it to bits.

So I’m not sure this album should be on this list, but I am really glad it is as I love discovering new music like this. While it’s some really enjoyable African folk music that became a nice soundtrack to my morning errands, at over an hour long it is a bit too repetitive for me to agree that this should have been included as an album to hear before you die.

Wonderful, and so different from most of the list. I didn't understand a word, but I didn't need to. An artist whose name I had heard, and whose work I look forward to exploring when I'm done with this list

Very enjoyable and out of comfort zone for me 4/5

I’m tryna come up with a variation of the Boss Baby joke, something like Person who’s only heard Fela Kuti listening to other African Music: This is giving me major Fela Kuti vibes, but honestly Djam Leelli sounds nothing like Fela Kuti’s work. It’s much more of a vibe, and I really enjoyed it, it’s the sort of thing I can picture myself relaxing to when I’m in a particularly lethargic summer mood, and I’m listening to it at the beginning of November

I enjoy this a lot. I´d really like to understand more about African music - it is such a huge continent with so much diversity. And I know nothing about its musical scene! Even though I couldn't understand the words, I felt myself bobbing along and vibing with the music. Easy to listen to, and makes an impact even with the language barrier.

I suspect that Baaba Maal was one of the first Worldbeat acts I heard but only in fragments on odd radio programmes. This is very good.

This is a good time. There was just one moment where I felt that the percussion that was just coming in, was out of place.

Exotic and relaxing 3.7

Cool rock! Definitely gets points for being in another language!

Awesome Melodic sound

Surprisingly good

Nice. Relaxing.

"Djam Leelii" is the first collaborative studio album by Senegalese musicians Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck. The album received wide-spread critical acclaim. Maal and Beck both play acoustic guitar and sing the vocals. The other musicians on the album included Aziz Dieng (electric guitar), Mama Kouyate (Kora (harp-lute)), Jumbo Kouyate (Balaton (idiophone)) and Papa Dieye (percussion). "Lam Tooro" opens the album. Acoustic guitars and simultaneous melodies. Strong tenor voices. "Salminanam" adds a percussion including what sounds like congas and some sort of shakers. Electric guitar too. It's a happy song and a good one. A single acoustic guitar going up and down the scales begins "Bibbe Leyday." A balafon comes in. Passionate singing and song. "Kettodee" features Maal and Seck chanting. Not all songs are happy: a more subdued musical tone and emotionally serious vocals highlight "Ko Wone Mayo" and "Daande Lenol." Maal and Seck have tremendous tenor voices. Layered vocals, melodies and rhythms. Various percussion instruments are used. Most of the songs have a happy and soothing feeling. The album does end with some more serious songs. You do not need know the language when the vocals and music change the tone. This is a really good album that most people would enjoy without ever previously hearing Senegalese music.

Actually beautiful

nice stuff

I really enjoyed it. My only caveat is that his voice is a bit too nasally for me which became a tad grating. But it’s a beautiful album. 4

I have no frame of reference for Senegalese music to know how much of a banger this is or not. I recently heard another Baaba Maal album on here, and it had more for my brain to catch on to. I'm sure, had I heard it as a teenager, this album would have been in popular rotation for me to fall asleep to.

I think your enjoyment of this album will largely depend on the singing style, which is pretty singular when compared to most other albums on this list. I happened to find it fascinating and found myself surprised at how well it joined with the pristine guitar sound, resulting in an effect that's borderline psychedelic. A totally unique combination that's perfect for sinking into.

This transported me

Dude is from Senegal. This shit is fantastic. Really interesting! Guitar work is fantastic, and there are some really cool tribal drum shit going on too. Favourite songs: Lam Tooro, Djam Leelii, Muudo Hormo, Salminanam, Sehilam Least favourite songs: Taara 4/5

Surprising and hypnotic

Interesting listen

Ambient and catchy Senegalese music.

Loved this. It was unique (to me), full of heart, passion, and soul.

Of all the albums out of my comfort zone I've listened to in the last few months, this was the furthest but also the most rewarding. Obviously as a white, American man this collaboration between 2 Western African artists was not made for me and I was not able to understand what exactly they were singing about. However, as a huge fan of the actual music being performed there were dynamic rhythms and a wide array of instruments used that kept my attention throughout this album. And even though I wasn't able to understand the subject matter of the songs, the musical stylings coupled with the heart and emotion of the vocals did portray the feelings being felt in a universal way. Another great thing about this record is that even though it was made in 1989, I feel it could be made in almost any decade and not feel out of place, a sign of true artistry. This may have been one of the most gratifying listens I've had to an album to date because if not for this experience, I would have no idea to go out of my way to listen to artists like this. Definitely makes me want to broaden my horizons beyond even the English-speaking world in terms of music - as corny as it sounds, the universal language (gtfo math). Notable Tracks: - Lam Tooro - Loodo - Salminanam - Djam Leelii - Kettodee 8/10

I was ready to dismiss this out of hand but glad I didn't It's like African acoustic Folk. Really melodic and pleasant. I guess that may sound like torture if you're into Death Metal or Janet Jackson but to me it's a pleasant suprise.

Serene

good ass world music man 4/5

Nice. And far better than the later, commercial-pop-oriented Baaba Maal album selected by Dimery and co. for their book. *Djam Leelii* displays many mesmerizing, atmospheric soundscapes, with all sorts of interesting harmonies in the background, courtesy of the magnificent interplay between guitars (both acoustic and electric), kora and balafon. Baaba's voice often soars like a frail yet noble bird over that lush instrumentation. This music--simple yet rich with layers, dreamy yet also grounded to earth somehow--sounds both timeless and modern. It's repetitive like a lot of traditional African music can be, yet if you pay attention, you soon realize it's filled with a lot of variations, and even sudden unexpected departures towards the end of a few pieces. The original album only has eight tracks (the bulk of the four extra ones are badly recorded, and should therefore be considered as outtakes). It's not a long list of songs, but many stellar highlights are gracing it: opener "Lam Tooroo", conveying such a mystical aura that you could mistake the tune for a Dead Can Dance cut ; quiet and soothing "Muudo Hormo", slowly but surely building up to a somewhat livelier conclusion ; the extraordinary "Maacina Tooro", whose guitar flourishes, moody handclappings and memorable vocal melody will haunt you long after the track ends on that breathtaking coda ; or the title-track "Djam Leelil", whose obvious blues inflexions link African and African-American traditions into a single, seamless whole--evidence enough of the sort of connections historical tragedies of the past didn't manage to sever after centuries. "Adventurers" of music indeed. I have expressed this before, I often feel like full-length recordings from continents other than Europe and North America should have retrospective books of their own--not to unfairly separate them from the "Western Canon", but to give a chance to all the musical traditions of the world to be fairly represented. But when I listen to the standout tracks from this record, I just want to let go of that obsessive-compulsive urge to rate and classify, and simply enjoy good music for what it is. Maybe I've used this app for too long. Time to adopt a new mindset, maybe? In the meantime, here's a provisory "classification" for this one: Number of albums left to review: 156 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 364 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 214 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 270

very interesting and some really cool instrumentation here

Very interesting style this is what makes this list interesting

nic e

Really enjoyable. After a bit I really started to get the feel of being out in a relaxing field. Rating: 3.7

Beautiful. Only losing a star as it started to feel a bit samey over the full length.

This great, even if a bit too long

Type of stuff I’m here for - never heard of this before and really liked it.

Really good album.

Relaxed African music with beautiful and catchy rhythms.

pleased with something different on this list. i was slightly falling asleep for it but the vocal stye reminded me of indian classical singing which was nostalgic. i loved the xylophones and instrumental arrangements overall.

Surprised this is in the generator, really good. Had some saved from this already actually

Today’s album is another that I’d never come across before. I had a drive into the office today so had music playing for the drive, and I found this to be really calming. I had the thought that it would likely be excellent with headphones, sat upright on a cushion and eyes closed. I like this album.

"Djam Leelii" is a collaborative album by Senegalese musicians Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck, released in 1989. Spanning a fusion of traditional Senegalese music with modern elements, the album stands as a significant piece in the world music landscape. Let's delve into its various aspects, assessing its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, as well as outlining its pros and cons. ### Lyrics: The lyrics in "Djam Leelii" are primarily sung in the Pulaar language, reflecting the cultural roots of both artists. The themes explored in the lyrics range from love and longing to societal issues and cultural pride. The poetic nature of the lyrics adds depth to the music, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in the rich storytelling tradition of West Africa. ### Music: The music in "Djam Leelii" is a mesmerizing blend of traditional Senegalese sounds with contemporary influences. Baaba Maal's soaring vocals intertwine with Mansour Seck's masterful guitar work, creating a tapestry of sound that is both vibrant and soul-stirring. The use of traditional instruments such as the hoddu (a traditional guitar-like instrument) alongside modern production techniques gives the music a timeless quality. ### Production: The production quality of "Djam Leelii" is top-notch, thanks to the collaboration between Baaba Maal, Mansour Seck, and the talented team of producers involved in the project. The album strikes a perfect balance between preserving the authenticity of traditional Senegalese music while infusing it with contemporary flair. The seamless integration of various musical elements showcases the skillful craftsmanship of both artists and producers alike. ### Themes: "Djam Leelii" explores a myriad of themes, including love, spirituality, and the socio-political landscape of Senegal. Through their music, Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck shed light on the beauty and complexity of Senegalese culture, celebrating its rich heritage while also addressing pressing issues facing their society. The album serves as a cultural artifact, offering listeners a glimpse into the heart and soul of West Africa. ### Influence: "Djam Leelii" has had a significant influence on the world music scene, inspiring countless artists and musicians across the globe. Its unique fusion of traditional Senegalese music with modern sensibilities has paved the way for a new generation of musicians seeking to explore and celebrate their cultural roots. Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck's collaboration remains a landmark achievement in the realm of world music, continuing to resonate with audiences worldwide. ### Pros: 1. Authentic representation of Senegalese music and culture. 2. Masterful musicianship displayed by Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck. 3. Seamless fusion of traditional and modern musical elements. 4. Poetic lyricism that explores a wide range of themes. 5. High-quality production that enhances the listening experience. 6. Lasting influence on the world music landscape. ### Cons: 1. Limited accessibility for those unfamiliar with West African music. 2. Some listeners may find the language barrier challenging. 3. Certain tracks may feel repetitive to listeners not accustomed to the genre. 4. The album's runtime may be considered too short by some listeners. In conclusion, "Djam Leelii" stands as a masterpiece of world music, showcasing the talents of Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck while offering listeners a captivating journey through the sounds and stories of Senegal. With its poetic lyricism, infectious rhythms, and timeless appeal, the album continues to captivate audiences and inspire musicians around the world.

4.5

Love the loopy background guitar in Loodo. Djam Leelii is a really awesome, spacious jam. Wide open atmosphere, but the vocal layering gave me shivers at the 3 minute mark, and the guitars have such nice texture to them. The weird thing is that I have certainly heard Daande Lenol somewhere before; I think probably in a Nicolas Jaar DJ mix. Loved it in the original context and am loving it even more now. This is an album for which I don't have too many specific words. But I absolutely loved it start to finish. I was hesitant at first, but the production is so beautiful throughout and I found several of the songs to be transformative in quality. In particular, Daande Lenol is a standout to me. I love how the plucked guitar interleaves with the bell rhythms in a spaced out atmosphere. This was quite different from where I usually spend my time, and I'm glad for the experience. I'll listen again in the morning, but right now it sits at a high 4 for me.

Some sweet spiriual sounding music with a little nice guitar sprinkled in. This was exactly the type of album that I wanted to start my day off, very calming and refreshing. Would do Ayuhuasca and listen to this album again.

What the fuck is this?! This was a little treat. I sometimes find myself enjoying instrumental works or music with lyrics that aren't the focus either because they are washed out or in this case a foreign language. I would love to know the translated lyrics to this album and I briefly tried to find them before I gave up, but sometimes the mood the music evokes is worth not knowing. I loved all the instrumentation on this album. I see it was recorded in 1984 but it wasn't released until 1989. I wonder why it took 5 years to release? The music sounds both very old and very modern at the same time. The fusion of the modern guitar combined with Baaba Maal's singing which sounds very Arabian is very soothing and interesting (not sure what language most of this is... I thought I may have heard some French but it may be a mixture?). Without being able to focus on the meaning of the lyrics, this is a very meditative album. It also displays a wide range of moods, sometimes happy, sometimes not so happy, sometimes upbeat, sometimes droning (in the best way). Repetition plays a large role in this album and I am not mad about it. That is what gives it its meditative quality. Some songs sound like the same string is being plucked over and over and over on the guitar but for some reason it isn't annoying. I did find myself starting to lose interest in the later songs because it is a decently long album, but I think had I started this album in the middle I would have enjoyed them as much as the first songs. It's just not easy to digest in one sitting. Generally though I liked every song and would love to hear them again.

Fun afro pop

Sudanese Dispatch/Grateful dead

I thought this was pretty great. Easily lost in the music, the driving percussion and slices of field recordings, the dueling rhythms created by the 2 guitars seemingly slipping in and out of sync, and the hypnotic impassioned vocal performances—as much a history, for me, of Senegalese music as a melding with modern recording techniques of the era. I thought it was a little long until I found out the last 4 tracks on Spotify were only added with the re-release. This would be amazing to see live.

I found it very calming with its repetitive sounds and chants. I’m glad I was introduced to this album through this project. I enjoyed it.

Aí, sim, a lista me ajudou a conhecer música nova e prosseguir escutando mais discos africanos.

Pretty good world music. I would listen to this again. Very chilled out.

Hørte bare litt men det var jo kult

A wonderful and magically fun album that hits all the right spots when needed, but FUCK is it long. Yes it is. 4/5

I love records like this for their ability to transport the listener and transform even the most mundane of life’s experiences.

This album sounds really clean and modern despite being recorded in 1984. I love the way the guitars sound on this album. My only complaint is that it goes on for a little too long, but it is great background music.

This album is really well recorded and features some talented guitar music and vocals that sound like a very good muezzin - which, to be clear, is a compliment, as I've always thought that muezzins sounded really cool. I don't know enough about this style of music to really say much more other than that I enjoyed listening to it, but probably won't listen again.

One of the things that this list has given me a lot more appreciation for is the incredible quality of some of the music coming out of Africa. This album is no exception. The songs are all well-crafted, with great instrumentals and vocals. It reminded me of Songhoy Blues in a lot of ways, and I would not be surprised to learn that Djam Leelii was a big influence on them 4/5

Solid background music. Would never have known about this but I found it enjoyable and unique. Felt a bit long/overstayed its welcome a bit however.

Extremely relaxing, almost hypnotic. You could meditate to this.

The perfect music for coming home late after a flight 🙏 Very enjoyable

Mega chill

Im about to travel to Senegal if the music is this fire. This was a neat listen! It’s like a look into a different culture in a way. It’s a fun listen, even if it may sound repetitive. But I don’t have a problem with that. The vocals make the instrumentals better than they already were. This one’s cool! Nice playing and all. Felt like I could appreciate more if I understood him though.

Ungewohnt, gemütlich, gute Musiker

Delightful. I have a soft spot for guitar centric albums that do interesting things with music from different parts of the world. If you like this album then I recommend you also check out the album In the Heart of the Moon by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté.

West African folk music. Lots of interesting strings. Quiet nice!

Great find from Senegal.

I like West African guitar music.

i listened to this like five times while writing and it was perfect background music. very soothing but a couple of the songs are legitimate bangers as well

Wish I could've found lyrics for more than one song, especially since it seems like songwriting is a big part of the artist's reputation! Really hypnotic and enjoyable music to have on while working- the singing and repetitive guitar consistently work together really beautifully. Makes me want to learn more about Senegalese music!

Quite liked this one, it's always a little hit and miss with the world music suggestions on this list but this was pretty groovy. I would have guessed it was of African/Arabian origin so the fact Baaba Maal is Senegalese fits with that.

I don't think I've listened to enough music from around the world to fully appreciate this one, Senegalese musicians Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck have really made something I haven't really heard before. The guitaring in this was really the highlight for me. I don't understand the lyrics, so I can't really say too much about that. For me, I just let the vocals be another instrument, and enjoyed the experience. There are influences of Blues and Jazz here but I can't help but wonder how these songs if an Electronic artist added something here, like a sick beat would really elevate these songs. This will have to be an album I come back to when I understand world music a little better. Standouts: Muudo Hormo, Salminanam, Bibbe Leydy, Sehilam

Liked this a lot, there's something hypnotic and chilled about it that works for me

All of the best folk music (in my opinion) invites the audience to participate even if it's just with feeling the groove. This has that in spades. I'm not familiar enough with Sangalese music to properly rate the quality of this offering but it seems very good. I finished the entire album on a rare day I was home alone (wife took the older boys the store and the baby was napping). The repetitive rhythms became hypnotic as I was folding laundry and doing other chores. Made the time move by very fast. I'm interested in coming back to this one. Going with a 4 because I don't see myself putting this on regular rotation or highly recommending it to others but it was a very good listen.

7/10. I liked it, didn't have a lot of specific thoughts on it, though.

Nice guitar playing, nice vibe

Great to hear something fresh!

Very relaxing and unique. Glad this one was on apple music! Reminded me of some of the musical sounds from Black Panther.

Great album! A lot of departures to Asia/Africa in the last few weeks, and this one is near the top for me. Some fantastic guitar work, blended with what I assume are more traditional Senegalese sounds and styles. Plenty of excellent tracks to get lost in. Definitely a great boost to the week with this one! Favorite tracks: Muudo Hormo, Djam Leelii, Sehilam, Ko Wone Mayo, Taara. Album art: An interesting collage of some washed-out color blocks, and a picture of a man that's made to look pretty ghostly. Is that one of the artists? No idea, but this is a cool one to look at. 4/5

I did it. Not sure how much I'll come back to it I guess, but it was a perfectly enjoyable listen. Solid 4 for now.

Once the album hit the 50-minute mark, I was getting a little tired. But the first half was ethereal, and the second half brought a ton of energy. And I can't give anything below a 4 to an album that I would inject half of into my soul.

What a nice and relaxing listen