Amadou & Mariam met in 1975 while attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako (where they continue to play an annual benefit concert). Influenced by the records of Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd as well as traditional African music, the couple began working as a duo in 1983. It wasn't until the Manu Chao-produced Dimanche à Bamako, one of the best-selling African albums of all time, that they transitioned from world music stages to rock stages. They are now part of rock's glitterati, having played with the likes of Dave Gilmour and Damon Albarn, performed in front of Barack Obama at a Nobel Peace Prize Concert, and played at the last two football World Cup opening ceremonies.

Eschewing the raw guitar-based sounds of much of their previous repertoire and musical alliances with big names, they've enlisted Adrien Durand to produce their first album for five years, the result being one that veers heavily towards retro disco-funk, whilst retaining elements of their signature African sound. Along with synth/keyboardist Durand, Malian musicians Djeli Moussa Diawara, who plays the harp-like kora, and Youssouf Diabate, master of the ngoni, play a big role on La confusion, while Amadou brings plenty of guitar riffs and arpeggios to the glitterball party.

Their musical eclecticism is apparent from the off, with the polyrhythmal east-meets-west opener 'Bofou Safou', the term “bofou safou” is in Bambara – the Malian national language, a nickname given to nonchalant young men who would rather dance than work. This incorporates a deep electronic bass synth a la early Chicago house, warped funk guitar, sharp bursts of machine gun drums, synth strings, and keys, the 80s is again a big part influence on thts house-meets-afrobeat track.

'C’est chaud’ continues the innovative and dancefloor-friendly music, merging more disco-house beats and rhythms with the French spoken lead vocal, and leaning again towards the 80s, albeit intertwined with classic Malian style guitar motifs. However, this fusion of western dance music with more rustic African forms, is more miss than hit on La confusion, the production sounding rather flat at times, the incongruity of the mix a little bit jarring. For instance, the initially African-leaning 'Filaou Bessame', whilst featuring an intricate guitar motif and percussion a-plenty, then introduces sax and flute to the mix, suddenly taking the song closer to 80s urban soul, towards Spandau Ballet/Duran Duran territory rather than, say, Galliano or acid jazz in general. The title track itself is all upbeat, Europop with more 80s twists. Not for the first time does the guitar work on Martha & the Muffins’ ‘Echo Beach’ spring to mind! Furthermore, 'Diarra's low slung reggae-funk is undermined by out-of-place synth lines.

Things improve via some tasty guitar solos amidst the heavy percussive workout of the thrusting, funk-swing of ‘Femmes du monde’, and a deeper afrobeat groove informs ‘Fari Mandila’. The earthly atmospheric 'Mokou Mokou' is stripped back, call and response vocals to the fore, and based on a circular acoustic guitar line. On the longest track here, the multi-faceted 'Massa Allah', the attempted fusion of west-meets-Mali works well on this spacious and evocative track, that spends much of its time invoking a dreamy soundscape; percussion, sax, guitar intertwining before it segues into a laid back afro-funk finale.

For the most part there's a strange lifelessness to La confusion, the music not sparkling as it should be. One can hear what many of the songs would sound like without all this disco-funk-soul embellishment. And it sounds good. In terms of attempting to tap into the mainstream, La confusion is perhaps not the most apt title for this patchy album.

Jeff Hemmings

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