On the first place of July’s Transglobal World Music Chart you will find the title “London KO”, recorded by the Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara.
After her Grammy-nominated studio album Fenfo (2018) and numerous successful international collaborations (including Gorillaz, Disclosure), the African global pop legend Fatoumata Diawara presents her new album LONDON KO.
The two single releases “Nsera” feat. Damon Albarn and “Massa Den” feat. -M- already provided a first taste of the long-awaited third studio album of the Malian singer. LONDON KO was created in close collaboration with Brit Pop icon Damon Albarn, who contributed as a producer to six of the 14 songs – a successful fusion of synthetic sounds and traditional Malian rhythms, allowing immersion in an eclectic and avant-garde universe.
The artist also receives prominent support from Cuban piano virtuoso Roberto Fonseca (Buena Vista Social Club), Nigerian Afropop singer and activist Yemi Alade, and French rock musician -M-. The result is LONDON KO, a versatile work that combines traditional African music with facets of Afrobeat, Jazz, Pop, Electro, and Hip-Hop in the singer’s unique style.
Top albums July 2023:
- Fatoumata Diawara · London Ko · 3ème Bureau / Wagram Music [3]
- Kayhan Kalhor and Toumani Diabaté · The Sky Is the Same Colour Everywhere · Real World [1]
- Ali Farka Touré · Voyageur · World Circuit [2]
- Damir Imamović · The World and All That It Holds · Smithsonian Folkways Recordings [6]
- Baaba Maal · Being · Marathon Artists [4]
- Blick Bassy · Madiba · InFiné [34]
- Omara Portuondo · Vida · One World [8]
- Bokanté · History · Real World [-]
- Eliades Ochoa · Guajiro · World Circuit [-]
- Seckou Keita with BBC Concert Orchestra · African Rhapsodies: A Work for Kora and Symphonic Orchestra · Claves [17]
- Bantu · What Is Your Breaking Point? · Soledad Productions [-]
- Saîdê Goyî · Jinê · Saîdê Goyî [-]
- Jawa · Last Breaths from Aleppo · Muziekpublique [22]
- Al Bilali Soudan · Babi · Clermont Music [13]
- Shono · Kolkhozoy Traktor · CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup [-]
- Inna Baba Coulibaly · Djilly Kawral · Remote / Studio Mali [18]
- Matthieu Saglio · Voices · ACT [-]
- Rastak · Essentials · Rastak [-]
- Frigg · Perintö / Heritage · Bafe’s Factory [25]
- Hiram Salsano · Bucolica · Hiram Salsano [9]
- Naïssam Jalal · Healing Rituals · Les Couleurs Du Son [20]
- Kimi Djabaté · Dindin · Cumbancha [7]
- La Cantiga de la Serena · La Novia · Zero Nove Nove [-]
- Yarákä · Curannera · Zero Nove Nove [40]
- Dom La Nena · Leon · Sabia / Big Wax / Alter K [23]
- Mara Aranda · Sefarad en el Corazón de Grecia · Mara Aranda [21]
- V.A. · Taa! Our Language May Be Dying, but Our Voices Remain · Glitterbeat [-]
- Dudu Tassa & Jonny Greenwood · Jarak Qaribak · World Circuit [-]
- Sissoko, Segal, Parisien, Peirani · Les Égarés · Nø Førmat [15]
- Plena Libre · Cuatro Esquinas · GN Música [16]
- Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers International · Igbo Amaka · Palenque / Odogwu Entertainment [-]
- Aditya Prakash · Karnatik Roots · Yarlung [14]
- Dur-Dur Band Int. · The Berlin Session · Outhere [5]
- Lankum · False Lankum · Rough Trade [-]
- Brìghde Chaimbeul · Carry Them With Us · Tak:til / Glitterbeat [19]
- Inna de Yard · Family Affair · Chapter Two / Wagram [-]
- Zuco 103 · Telenova · Zuco Sound / Six Degrees [31]
- Le Cri du Caire · Le Cri du Caire · Airfono / Les Disques du Festival Permanent / L’Onde et Cybèle [28]
- King Ayisoba · Work Hard · Glitterbeat [11]
- Tinariwen · Amatssou · Wedge [-]
NMR (photo: press Fatoumata Diawara)
