Africa Fair

In Popimane’s hands the Peul flute becomes a powerful, intense instrument able to express a whole range of emotions, from the foreboding atmospheres on “Bi Mogoya” to the carefree, joyous vibes of “Africa Fair.” As part of a long line of griots, the Burkinabè multi-instrumentalist grew up around music, but only encountered the Peul flute aged 16. The instrument “chose” him, he says, and he’s since traveled all over the world, successfully meshing this ancestral instrument with contemporary sounds. Though Popimane is playing all the instruments here, except synth and a touch of cello, Africa Fair has an orchestral, cinematic feel to it, and his vocal yelps and sharp intakes of breath add some drama to an already electrifying record.