Music
LAMOMALI: “TOTEM” – The Malian Spirit Still Shines Beyond the Grave
LAMOMALI: “TOTEM” – Malian Heritage Shines On, Even Beyond Death
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Mali is still mourning the loss of two of its musical giants: Toumani Diabaté, the undisputed master of the kora, and Amadou & Mariam, the radiant couple who made the whole world dance with their powerful Afro-pop. But music never dies. It transforms, it passes on, it transcends. And that’s exactly what TOTEM, the new album by the collective LAMOMALI, set to be released at midnight, accomplishes.
M, Fatoumata Diawara, Balla Diabaté, and Toumani Diabaté offer here a powerful and colorful journey, rich in memory and modernity. The album is a love song to Africa and a vibrant tribute to Mali — its culture, its spirituality, its struggles, and its hopes.
Among the most poignant tracks, “Il Neige à Bamako” strikes right at the heart. Full of melancholy, the song feels like an elegy. In the background, Toumani’s kora, recorded before his passing, weaves a luminous thread supporting the voice of Fatoumata Diawara. It’s a soft rain over ashes — a discreet yet powerful musical farewell.
Another highlight: “Je t’aime”, a heart-wrenching track featuring Amadou & Mariam alongside Oxmo Puccino. The voices of the beloved duo, captured with tenderness and respect, resonate like a final burst of light. The song celebrates love — love for the people, for the land, for music — with the unique sincerity that made the duo so powerful.
In 12 tracks, TOTEM brings together generations, continents, and styles. It intertwines the ancestral kora with modern beats, legendary voices with tomorrow’s promises.
It’s an album for those who love Mali. For those who believe that music can heal, unite, and mend.
And above all, it’s an album to remember.
Featuring:
- @_m_chedid – inspired maestro
- @fatoumata_diawara__ – free and committed voice
- @balla_diabate_d_music – kora heir
- @toumanidiabatemusic – eternal memory
- @oxmopuccino – urban poet
- @amadouetmariam – legendary love
- @philippejaroussky – celestial countertenor
- @boombass – shadow producer
- @tikenjahfakolyofficiel – militant voice
- @seujorge – Brazilian groove
- @ibrahimmaaloufofficial – luminous trumpet
- @angeliquekidjo – African icon
- @yamebantu – rising youth
- @patrickwatsonofficial – Nordic dreamer
TOTEM is the breath of an eternal Mali.
