Remixed: UFOs Over Bamako

Album Review

It didn't take very long for remix musicians to adapt the music of young Malian Vieux Farka Touré to their own more club-danceable needs. The sparse sound of Touré, identified by voice, percussion, and the kora, has been added on in dense beat and electronic fashion for these reinterpretations of selections from Touré's debut project. As on the witty remixes of Abdullah Ibrahim's compositions for the CD Re:Brahim, punchy right crosses of funk, layers of atmospheric vocals or additional instruments, and a jazz improvisation-infused techno aspect expand the scope of Touré's music without violating its aesthetic. The CD is bookended by two different versions of "Ma Hine Cocore," with Yossi Fine's adaptation starting off-key and later accenting cerebral flute, where Karsh Kale's less vocally overt suggestive interpretation uses resonant sultan swipes that are deep, sparse, and spiritual. There are three different takes of "Ana" — the "GOONDA Tribal Dub" version the most saturated, while Captain Planet's remix is drumbeat-heavy and funky and Hisboyelroy's is somewhat more ambient and electric keyboard-oriented. The Nickodemus mix of "Sangare" stands alone in light of trumpeter Maurice Brown's inserts, as do DJ Cheb i Sabbah's choral raï-influenced "Dounia" and Eccodek's echo-laden doubled and tripled vocal and loopy overdubs. For different reasons, "Courage" is also unique, but for its country-like clapping-accented sound, courtesy of Fabian Alsultany. This should be a popular item among those who embrace the remix cross culture, and is very listenable for those who dance in their heads. Note also that ten percent of the funds raised from the sale of this CD goes to malaria research. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi