Amazones Power

Les Amazones d'Afrique are the pan-African female supergroup that wowed the crowds at WOMAD in 2016, commanding attention with the queenly presence of Malian A-list divas Kandia Kouyaté and Mariam Doumbia (sans her husband Amadou Bagayogo) alongside Paris-based Mamani Keita, whose distinctive nasal croon has long recalled a Bamana Billie Holiday. Co-founded with Oumou Sangaré for the purposes of championing gender equality, this mix of icons (Angélique Kidjo too) and rising stars (Nneka, Inna Modja) found wide reach with their 2017 debut République Amazone. Now comes that tricky second album, again mixed Congotronics-style by French-Irish producer Dr L, whose sonic chicanery tends to displease traditionalists, which isn't a bad thing.

This sophomore effort exceeds its predecessor, with a caveat: welcoming two young male vocalists (Boy Fall and Jon Grace) into the fold is fine -both are on-message – but to have them feature as the opening track (‘Heavy’) on an album billed as a feminist paean feels clunky. Mamani Keita is here again, singing up respect on the mercurial ‘Love’, as is Rokia Koné, telling of in-laws and co-wives on ‘Queens’. The collective's newest members shine, notably Algerian chaabi singer Nacera Ouali Mesbah, a visceral force on ‘Rebels’, and rapper/singers Niariu (Guinea Bissau) and Ami Yerewolo (Mali) who advocate self-love on ‘Smile’. The record's heavyweight themes – which address misogyny, sexual violence, FGM – are reinforced by low-end bass and sci-fi electronics that judder and groove like the engine of some great African mothership.