Nha Sunhu

Think of the music of Guinea-Bissau, and the artists that spring to mind are probably men: Ernesto Dabo, Justino Delgado or Manecas Costa. But the talented chanteuse and UNICEF ambassador Eneida Marta has been slowly and surely making a name for herself, having released three albums and a clutch of tracks on various compilations for Putumayo, celebrating the music of her tropical West African birthplace – along with that of neighbouring Angola – and showcasing her distinctive and compelling voice.

Beginning with an evocative 40-second blast on a traditional flute, this excellent fourth album sees musicians, including Costa, weighing in on everything from guitars, kora and calabash percussion to saxophone and piano. Marta sings of life, love, sweet freedom and strong women in lyrics inspired by Guinean poets. Recorded in Paris and Lisbon as well as Bissau, Nha Sunhu is a finely crafted record boasting clever arrangements and a stripped-down jazz vibe that complements the swift polyrhythms of gumbe (also known as gumbay or goombay), Guinea Bissau's primary musical export. But it's Marta's strong, clear vibrato-laced voice that mesmerises the most, whether crooning of heartbreak on the lovely ‘Amor Livre’ or reaching the rafters on ‘Africa Tabanka Povo’ and the impassioned ‘Ratcha Tara’.