Valimbilo

This five-piece tsapiky band are credited with bringing the music of Toliara, Madagascar, to an international audience. With a career spanning over three decades, Damily are ambassadors of this guitar-driven style. Previous albums have showcased a modern sound that is still deeply rooted in its culture, and Valimbilo doesn't disappoint. The album opens with ‘Malay Nama’, an exhilarating track that sets the tone for the record as Damily (the group's guitarist and namesake) delivers lush melodic riffs over a frantic 4/4 rhythm. There is an undeniable heat to the music throughout, present even in the more stripped-back numbers, ‘Kalitaky’ and ‘Fiaina Sarotsy’, which punctuate the driving and infectious energy with moments of respite.

The album's title refers to a companion chosen to help someone conquer bilo (depression). This is achieved through an intense musical ceremony and a powerful dose of tsapiky. This creates an effect that is simultaneously blissful and frenzied. You can really feel the album's namesake through each piece, a guide to take you through the experience and come out of it on the other side, healed. This is tsapiky music at its finest.