It's easy to understand why
Malouma is revered in her native Mauritania. From the griot tradition, she's a stunning singer, whether on traditional or modern songs -- and, indeed, she mixes both idioms. She's also a political activist, vocal in AIDS campaigns and literacy programs. On this recording, she uses a relatively sizeable pool of musicians, sometimes a full band, and on "Intro El Houb" just her brother on tidinit, an instrument with a sound a little like a kora. On a couple of instances she dives headlong into those ol' desert blues, as on "Mreïmida," with its jerky rhythm, where a roaring guitar pushes the track, and her ululating voice surges over the chorus; it's actually one of the best examples of the style, bringing Africa and the Mississippi Delta next to each other. If that were all, it would be ample, but
Malouma goes through many styles -- on "El Moumna" she takes two old Mauritanian songs and fuses them seamlessly together. And "Tuyur El Wad" could almost be up-tempo Western singer/songwriter fare. In essence, every cut here is a little gem, deserving of several listenings to winkle out its treasures. And
Malouma is a star. No boundaries, no qualifiers, just a star. ~ Chris Nickson