''Karam'' is
Kimi Djabate
Kimi Djabaté (born January 20, 1975 in Tabato, Guinea-Bissau) is a Bissau-Guinean Afro-beat/blues musician. Based out of Lisbon, Portugal, he continues to be one of the contemporary links in a chain of West African music that extends back in t ...
's second solo album for U.S.-based label,
Cumbancha
Cumbancha is a record label, booking agency and music publisher based in Charlotte, Vermont. The company was founded by ethnomusicologist and music producer Jacob Edgar in 2006. In 2007, Cumbancha Music Publishing was established to expand oppor ...
, released on July 28, 2009 in the U.S.
and on August 24, 2009 in the UK.
Critical reception
Chris Nickson of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
called the album's songs "delicious creations, lulling, melodic, and even catchy to Western ears, especially 'Karam', with its memorable chorus, and 'Banhané'", and that "although not startling or revolutionary, ''Karam'' is a lovely addition to the canon of African music, and the wider introduction of an excellent talent."
Philip Van Vleck of ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' called ''Karam'' "a quiet tour de force" and praised Djabate's musicianship, songwriting and vocals.
Deanna Sole of ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' stated that Djabate "sings like a neighborhood storyteller who just happens to have a good voice, inserting himself into the music with a piece of spoken word, an exclamation, and a laugh – little things, human, eccentric things – that light up the moderate background of balafon (an African xylophone) and guitar".
Track listing
References
External links
Good KaramCotonete
{{Authority control
2009 albums