Smooth or Crunchy: New West African Releases from Rokia Koné and Etran de L’Äir Out Today

<p> What’s your mood like today—are you feeling ruminative or like you need some movement? Either way there’s a release tailored for your vibe from West Africa out today. <br> </p> <p>On the more peaceful end of the spectrum—kinetic all the same, though—we have a new release from Rokia Koné, “The Rose of Bamako.” Teamed up with the California-based, Irish producer Jacknife Lee, Mande guitar grooves slip among the synthesizers, propelled percussion made by hands-hitting-skins and also electronic programming. Since hearing Koné as a member of Les Amazones d’Afrique, we’ve been eager to hear the Malian singer with an entire album in which to spread her wings.</p> <figure><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4278046892/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless=""><a href="https://rokiakone.bandcamp.com/album/bamanan">BAMANAN by Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee</a></iframe></figure> <p> For the restless rockers out there, eagerly awaiting Mdou Moctor’s return to New York next Friday, we recommend Etran de L”Äir. The Agadez band began as a wedding group, but their rollicking guitar theatrics and interlocking sung melodies on their latest album from Sahel Sounds bring the celebration wherever it's played. </p> <figure><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=314328480/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless=""><a href="https://etrandelair.bandcamp.com/album/agadez">Agadez by Etran de L'Aïr</a></iframe></figure> <p> Life’s too short for mediocre music; it’s time to bust out the good stuff.</p>