Fondo

iTunes Review

Son of the legendary Ali Farka Touré, the Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Touré has clearly come into his own on his excellent second album, Fondo. Vieux often played acoustic guitar on his self-titled 2006 debut; here he mostly uses a reverb-drenched electric guitar. He makes the listener sway with the bluesy “Fafa,” crafts a hypnotic groove adorned with splintery guitar for “Aï Haïra,” and creates a feeling of spare intimacy on the drumless “Souba Souba.” The traditional “Walé”— the only song here that Touré didn’t pen himself — features imploring vocals accompanied by guitar and simple percussion. “Diaraby Magni” looks to Jamaica for its rhythm and vibe, and the instrumental “Slow Jam” (which also has hints of reggae) brings to mind lapping waves at a sunny beach. “Paradise,” another instrumental, features the fine kora playing of Toumani Diabaté. “Chérie lé,” the fastest track, displays a hard-driving rock edge, while the instrumental “Fafa (Reprise)” makes for a lilting closer. Throughout, Tourè’s lead lines feel less like flashy solos than the ambient center of this entrancing music.