Braquage de Pouvoir

A quarter of a century on since he emerged from Ivory Coast with his spectacular international debut Mangercratie, Tiken Jan Fakoly has become the grand old man of African griot reggae. His 11th studio album holds firm to his roots-reggae aesthetic, all dub-heavy basslines, rimshots, one-drop rhythms and skanking guitars, laced with subtle use of African instruments such as a kamalengoni, talking drums and the single string soku violin over which he sings his customary but necessary messages about African unity and the power of the people in French, English and Bambara.

‘Don’t Worry’ is a joyously simple pop song on which he is joined by the Malian duo Amadou & Mariam. By contrast the title-track (which translates as ‘The Robbery of Power’) is a fierce, horn-driven roots anthem. ‘Farana’ is a dread-laden exorcism about the evil eye and ‘Où Est-Ce Que Tu Vas?’ (Where Are You Going?) is a serious-minded warning to African youth heading for Europe that the journey can be perilous. Other guests include Jamaican reggae singer Winston McAnuff, the slam poet Grand Corps Malade from les banlieues of Paris who shines on the brilliant opener ‘Enfant de la Rue’ and French reggae outfit Dub Inc who grace the uplifting ‘Beau Continent’. It’s a pleasure to report that Fakoly has never sounded better.