If there was ever a candidate for music blog to turn into a record label Awesome Tapes From Africa is it. Having unearthed many a cassette tape on his travels in Africa, Brian Shimkowitz has been sharing his finds on his blog for the past five years and this week, the Awesome Tapes From Africa label lets loose La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol 3 by Malian singer Nâ Hawa Doumbia the first blog’s foray into releasing.
Originally released on, cassette in 1982, the four-track EP contains truly emotive and richly-woven together African music. Doumbia serves as the travelling siren guide while gentle yet intricate combinations of guitar, percussion, piano and a lute-like instrument weave around each other. There are elements of the music that runs through Tinariwen, the rugged earthy arrangements from the Tuareg region. Beautiful stuff that’s worth owning on vinyl for sure. Doumbia will receive 50% of all proceeds after expenses.
Download:Nâ Hawa Doumbia, “Kungo Sogoni”
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Available on MP3, CD, LP and Cassette of course.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
