Bumayé

Lassana Sané was inspired to sing by seeing the Senegalese hip-hop trio Daara J on television. He went to see them perform, got to know them, and before long they had both invited him on stage and encouraged him to record his first single in their studio. Eventually he made his way to France, settling in Lyon, where he recorded with Bruno ‘Patchworks’ Hovart’s band Voilaaa and the Afro-electro duo Synapson.

His full-length solo debut marries the mbalax and Afro-salsa heritage of such pioneering Senegalese singers as Omar Pene, Ismaël Lô and Youssou N’Dour to more contemporary styles. The title-track is pure Afro-pop and the perfect showcase for his stunning voice. ‘Metina’, which features the Brazilian singer Flavia Coelho, is a swaying slice of Afro-salsa. ‘Mbélé’ combines electro grooves with the sound of a balafon. The hip-hop styled ‘Dolima’ is graced by the presence of the Sierra Leonean-German auteur Patrice and ‘Dounia’ is a sweet fusion of African tradition and electro modernity. LASS’ sinuous vocals seem equally at home in any of these styles on an album of huge promise.