The ngoni, a tiny west African lute, is an unlikely source of international stardom. Traditionally, the four-string instrument was used to accompany the stories of griots (bards), not as a lead. Over four albums, <person>Mali</person>’s Bassekou Kouyate has single-handedly changed its status, first with 2007’s acoustic Segu Blue, before turning electric and adding the pedals and effects commonplace to rock guitar, a process climaxing on 2015’s furious Ba Power. <person>Kouyate</person> also added a group, drawn largely from his family, to round out his sound.
Miri is in part a return to acoustic roots. The title track (“dream” or “contemplation” in the Bamana language) is a stately instrumental that laments the plight of his homeland, recently ravaged by Islamist insurgents. Other tracks comment more directly on <person>Mali</person>’s political and social problems, with a stellar cast of vocalists that include <person>Abdoulaye Diabaté</person>, <person>Habib Koité</person> and <person>Majid Bekkas</person>, the last on a terrific opener, Kanougnon, a song about loss. Serious though it is, the album is ultimately uplifting, studded with guest appearances and shot through with playful moments like Wele Cuba, a tribute to west Africa’s love affair with Cuban music. <person>Kouyate</person>’s playing remains at its heart, pulsing, ingenious and spellbinding.