DIÉFADIMA KANTÉ 

''FRANKONODOU'' 

(GUINEA, 2003)    @

On "Diarabi" ("My Love") Kant?eads in with a particularly ragged introduction that segues quite naturally into lyrical delivery atop two acoustic guitars. Her daughter sounds brighter, smoother, and lower on the intensity scale. On the forty-second track "Tissidiba" Kant?ings alone, accompanying herself on the metal cylinder-like percussion instrument known as the carignan. This is the rawest glimpse you will find, and it's an abrupt contrast to the traditional "Nanibali" which follows?quite clearly and unmistakably part of the Manding lineage which extends back hundreds of years to the Ancient Empire of Mali. Mory Diabat? balafon rises to the forefront on the next tune, brightly rippling above rising and falling guitar accompaniment that occasionally falls into riff mode. Unfortunately the sound quality on this record is not up to the standards of the rest, which makes the guitar and voice a little noisy and bright. Otherwise this is a refreshingly roots-oriented record with just the right balance of quiet, spark and burn. Art highlights: Some of the most beautiful floral wallpaper on the planet. Multimedia: mouse over a series of image slices to view a photo montage with sound. More subtle than exciting.