Vieux Farka Toure Remixed: UFOs Over Bamako

• Words: Eric K. Arnold
• Label: Modiba

Until now, Vieux Farka Toure wasn't especially well known to Western audiences, but his father, Ali Farka Toure, was one of the most famous African bluesmen ever. Vieux has not only the bloodline but the grasp of subtle musical nuances required of a master musician. On Remixed: UFOs Over Bamako, the traditional Malian music that the Farka Toure clan excels at is updated into an accessible, modern form courtesy of remixers Karsh Kale, Yossi Fine, Cheb i Sabbah, Captain Planet, and Fabian Alsultany. The results are often stunning; this isn't just your basic worldtronica album, but a seamless synthesis of ancient tradition and techno-modernism, revealing layer upon layer of intricate, chilled grooves with each listen.