Fans of early American blues will hear the overtones of this tradition in these songs. But this is no re-hash of an old form. The striking polyrhythms and incredibly integrated scales form a bridge between the entire American blues tradition and the whole of the Malian music experience. High praise - and utterly unsubstantiated - but this album will show you what happens to talent when it is brought up under the equally compelling forces of two very different traditions. This sounds so effortless and genuine. It doesn't have the forced perfection of the material done with Ry Cooder or the naivete of some of the desert bands (Tartit, e.g., which is also great) or the smoothness of Habib Koite and Bamada. It's straight up blues, but played in Mali - I can't think of a better way to describe it. Highly recommended.