Donso

Donso means hunter in Bambara, a Mande language spoken in West Africa. It's also the self-titled debut album, out September 2010 on Comet Records, that could be one of the best records of the year. Combining hard hitting broken beats, laid down by French producer Krazy Baldhead, with Bambara vocals, sung by Malian vocalist Gedeon Papa Diarra, Donso creates a modern interpretation of Mande hunters' music, a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. The Donso N'Goni, or hunters' harp, is employed extensively throughout the album as well, providing an interesting texture that seamlessly meshes with the electronic beats.