The Mande Variations

Uncut (p.85) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[S]tately, intricate, meditative, rooted in a culture, but never afraid to transcend it." The Wire (p.65) - "Diabate's virtuosity exists in a calm space, his dancing filigrees beautifully framed." CMJ - "[A] wholly acoustic performance highlighting the beauty and versatility of the string instrument he has mastered." Dirty Linen (p.50) - "Not only is this a stunning reminder of how much Diabate has grown as a musician, composer and improviser, but it is possibly one of the most meditative and most beautiful albums ever made by a kora player." The Beat (p.14) - "[Diabate adds] unusual expressive elements to his approach while still remaining true to the history of Mande music." Q (Magazine) (p.103) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Recorded up close, it's the very definition of a virtuoso performance and, on its own terms, close to perfection." Mojo (Publisher) (p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "His thumbs play a complex bass motif, one hand creates the rhythm and the other solos with a series of dazzling explosions that echo the sabar drums of Senegal's mbalax." Paste (magazine) (p.73) - "His songs emulate a cascading waterfall....Never ceasing to astound with his unique combination of virtuosity and soul....You need only to hear him to understand his diabolical wizardry."