The 69-year-old Senegalise singer continues to think outside the box, try new production choices, and collaborate with others on Being. There is a strong pairing with his dynamic vocal range and the vibrant elements of pop, electronics, acoustics, and Afro pop.
All the way from Senegal, West Africa, 69-year-old Baaba Maal has been performing, recording, and contributing his powerful and versatile voice for decades now. Since the late 80's, he's had studio albums and has gained quite the following outside his homeland, spreading into the Afro pop music movement of the 90's and 2000's. I personally haven't been too familiar with Maal's solo work but his voice is quite recognizable and iconic such as the contribution of his prominent vocals for the Black Panther scores. Now seven years after his last studio album comes his brand new one. Titled Being, this is his fourteenth studio album (not counting the numerous collaborative projects he's been a part of). Though I'm not at all too familiar with Maal, I still decided to give Being a crack because life's too short, right?
What stood out even before the album's release were the singles. I noticed right away a sense of bombast and urgency on "Yerimayo Celebration," which was the lead single to this album. The production is full of color and explosiveness with booming electronics, bass and a multilayered rhythm section. What's impressive about the song can be applied to the entire album, really, and that's how the production contributes and elevates Maal's vocal chops. They really sound like a strong pairing with his dynamic vocal range and the vibrant elements of pop, electronics, acoustics, and Afro pop. The production itself is very tasteful and impactful, where the polish is thankfully not too sterile or clean. There's a bite to the sonics for sure. Not only is Being quite entertaining and fun from start to finish but the songs themselves are great. "Freak Out" features a lot of abrasive distortion in the vocals and features another great Afro pop act The Very Best applying some pretty harmonies to the track which is great additional texture.
"Ndungu Ruumi" is a somber and dramatic ballad that showcases some great vocal melodies, distortion, and some skeletal percussion. "Agreement" is my personal favorite from the album and is the prettiest and gorgeous track presented here. The lush guitar skittering through your headphones, the galloping groove, an electronic sample that sounds almost like the cracking of a whip. It's fantastically dreamy and hypnotic. "Boboyillo" has some great additional vocals from Rougi that add some nice variety within the track listing. It also has arguably the stickiest melodies on the album too along with a sticky hip hop centric beat. The layered percussion and vocals on "Mbeda Wella" have a satisfying progression to them that seem to rise and rise until its explosive finish. I love the additional chanting on the track too. The album closes with a lengthy nine-minute long acoustic closer titled "Casamance Nights." Its quietness and sparseness is definitely why the track stands out in comparison to the other tracks. I do love how the track is presented and laid out because it does have an ambient and meditative feel, making the nine minute runtime quite worth listening to all the way through. The outdoor field recording is a nice touch that only adds to the already beautiful track.
With seven tracks and 37 minutes in total length, Being doesn't stay too long. It could've benefitted another track or two but I still think it can hold up on its own. Its unique array of guests, explosive and beautiful production choices, and Baaba Maal's versatile voice makes this album totally worth checking out. When writing this review, I wouldn't have even guessed Maal is 69 years old. There's still a youthful energy to his voice and presence, and his continued ability to think outside the box, try new production choices, and collaborate with others is always great to see from veterans like him.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Agreement," "Yerimayo Celebration," "Freak Out," "Boboyillo"
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