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Like Salah, Sidi Touré hails from Gao. The singer-songwriter draws inspiration from traditional music and religion, but has a sound informed by western blues, rock, and culture. In fact, he’s signed to Chicago indie-rock label Thrill Jockey, home of Future Islands and The Sea and Cake. Before coming to the U.S., Touré lead Gao’s regional orchestra, The Songhaï Stars, and won two Malian national awards for best singer. His new album Koïma is filled with powerful juxtapositions inherent in post-colonial life. With the recent re-entry of France into Mali, this tension is even more affecting and haunting.
Listen: “Mali Song”