Ko-Yan

One doesn’t earn the sobriquet of “Golden Voice of Africa” without boasting some formidable pipes, and Malian superstar Salif Keita has one of the most arresting voices on the continent. Born into royal heritage, Keita’s albinism led to him being ostracized. Studying at an Islamic school, the young Keita fell under the spell of powerful Qur’an singing and took up music (further removing him from his royal roots). Fronting the Rail Band and Les Ambassadeurs in the 1970s led to great success at home, before Keita decamped to Paris in the ‘80s to pursue a solo career. This 1989 album cemented his status as a global superstar, full of sunburst melodies and snaky drum machine rhythms. And while it’s far removed from the tough grooves of his iconic Malian bands, Ko-Yan offers a beguiling blend of bright horn lines, digital pan pipe presets, funky electric bass, silky synths, and sneaky studio effects, with that golden voice riding high atop it all.