Né so

"Dignity, restraint, a certain fluttery coolness of demeanour - Rokia Traoré is a distinctive artist who has never needed to shout to command attention. Accompanied by an excellent small group (...) this album, her sixth, is again produced by John Parish ... What remains in her music of local influence is set beside a thoroughly modern and stateless sensibility. The album was recorded in Bamako and Bristol; her guitarist is Italian and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones contributes on bass and mandolin. The rhythms are varied and vivid. Traoré has previously recorded Billie Holiday's "The Man I Love" and this album includes a heart-rending version of "Strange Fruit". This is the track which initially hijacks the memory. But after a while, the rest of the album re-asserts itself. Finally, the quieter virtues seem stronger than this terrifying vision. Despite the world, this is an album that glows with life and points to progress".