Mádibá Ni Mbondi

Cameroonian singer songwriter Blick Bassy albums often revolve around a specific social or political theme (1958 was dedicated to the memory of Ruben Um Nyobé, the Cameroonian anti-colonial leader who was killed by French colonial forces in 1958) and on Mádibá Ni Mbondi he explores the significance of water: how it nurtures beauty and inspires poetry, but also its vital role in sustaining life — and what happens when governments and institutions do not take adequate care of it. Across the album, which is an extended version of his 2023 record Mádibá, Bassy explores themes of scarcity, power, but also beauty and tranquility. On his previous albums with their delicate guitar, layered rhythms, and melodic horns, Bassy drew more explicitly on the hongo and assiko traditions from Cameroon, as well as other global styles like bossa nova. But on Mádibá Ni Mbondi he abandons the more folksy elements for a more electronic, stripped back sound, which allows his hauntingly beautiful voice to resonate even more. The two artists he’s chosen to collaborate with on the new tracks, Ry X on “Mbondi” and Yamê on “Mbenda”, perfectly match the quietly intense atmosphere of the record, and help make Mádibá Ni Mbondi a dreamy pop gem.