Mali overdrive

"While his songs (all self-penned) are well within the Malian roots ambit of tributes and social advice, the distorted shards and waves of electric guitar are a new departure, seeming indicative of the harsh new reality in his country.The characteristic rolling rhythms of Malian music, underpinned by ngoni, bass and calabash percussion, take on a fresh urgency. Anansy's impassioned vocals and occasional gritty soku fiddle from Zoumana Tereta raise the game still further".

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"Imagine Malian desert blues - standard progressions, standrd tempos, soft yearning vocals, not so different from the norm - and then inject sheets of high-voltage lead guitar fury. That's what Cissé does and although the sound is initially shocking, he in fact stays very much beholden to traditional Fulani and Songhai roots - it's just that he is also a devotee in the temple of rock ... Interesting to see how he will develop - there is a lot of mileage in what he has started here".