Né La Thiass

Remastered and reissued for this year's Record Store Day in April, and now available on vinyl as well as on CD and digital, this remarkable set sounds as fresh and exhilarating today as it did back in 1995, when it first appeared on cassette in Senegal. Produced by Youssou N’Dour in his studio in Dakar, it marked the debut of a remarkable singer-songwriter with a versatile, soulful voice, whose songs mixed a dash of N’Dour's mbalax with influences that ranged from Cuba to American funk. It's a gloriously rhythmic semi-acoustic affair, with the often laid-back, subtle and gently driving backing provided by a star cast that includes tama (talking drum) specialist Assane Thiam, percussionist Mbaye Dieye Faye, and guitarist and arranger Oumar Sow. It opens with ‘Boul Di Tagale’, in which the compelling percussion work provides a springboard for Lô's fluid vocals. He sounds brave, assured and confident from the start. There's a Latin edge and yet more inspired vocal work on the title-track, plus an assured guitar solo on the slinky, upbeat ‘Ndogal’. Elsewhere there's a charming tribute to Cheikh Ibra Fall, a crucial figure in the history of the Baye Fall, the Mouride Islamic sect, which Lô follows, and a couple of duets with Youssou N’Dour, including the gentle, guitar-backed ‘Guiss Guiss’ which ends this magnificent album.