Stereo Spirit

Chronique

The sophomore effort from Daby Touré is a sparsely sophisticated affair. The man plays everything himself and supplies almost all the voices as well as the material -- no small feat. But don't mistake that for homemade: there's a definite light sheen here. Touré is blessed with a glorious voice that he uses to full effect, on gentle, lulling material that rarely gets up and dances (the nearest is on the closer, "Wasso," and that barely rises above a jog). Yet that doesn't matter. He pulls you in with his singing and the rhythmic pick of his guitar, with other instruments subtly faming the music, and from the very first, with "Kebaluso," you're a goner. He sings two of the songs in English, but it's debatable whether that adds anything to them. In many ways, it's remarkably similar to his debut, just more refined, and possibly even sparer, which works well. There's a delicate beauty about the whole album; at times it seems almost weightless. But there's no doubt that Touré has properly established his musical niche now.

© Chris Nickson /TiVo