Sababu (2024)

"Traoré plays the kamélé ngoni, a smaller style of string instrument that lets him move quickly and nimbly, each note bright as he leads the rest of the group. In addition to Traoré, Balima’s transnational lineup includes Guillaume Codutti (percussion), Zonata Dembélé (bass), Geoffrey Desmet (balafon, djembe), and Désiré Somé (guitar), an ensemble of excellent team players. Tonally balanced and beautifully performed, "Sababu" is a decisive step forward for Aboubakar Traoré and Balima, moving them toward becoming standouts of internationally focused West African folk-pop. The music here is sincere, the social commentary rightly pointed, the production polished, and the talent unquestionable. With "Sababu", Aboubakar Traoré and Balima establish themselves as an essential group in a vital scene, and it’s easy to imagine them continuing to light up stages not just between Belgium and Burkina Faso but far beyond if they keep making music that is this invigorating." (PopMatters)