Nonesuch

The newest album from blind Malian husband and wife duo Amadou & Mariam, Folila, means “music” in their Bambara language. It’s a simple title for a complex album. Folila was essentially recorded three times: first in New York with guest artists like TV on the Radio and members of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Scissor Sisters and Antibalas; the second recording took place in the pair’s hometown of Bamako, Mali; and for the third, they went to Paris and fused these two disparate sessions. The result: a funky, intricate and textured record, where the guest talent never takes center stage to Mariam’s smooth vocals or Amadou’s incendiary guitar. Tracks like “Nebe Miri,” featuring Theophilus London, and “Dougou Badia,” featuring Santigold, will succeed in bringing Amadou & Mariam’s music to new ears.