Malian duo Amadou & Mariam have announced they will release new album Folia in April; the album will feature the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Santigold, TV On The Radio and rapper Thelonius London. The duo’s sixth album to date, it will be released through Because Music on 2 April. Its first single ‘Dougou Badia’ will be released on 19 March.
Folila is the follow-up to their 2008 album Welcome to Mali, which was co-produced by Damon Albarn. Its predecessor 2005’s Dimanche à Bamako – produced by French solo artist Manu Chao – is one of the best-selling African albums of all time, winning a prestigious Les Victoires de la Musique award (the French equivalent of the Grammys) and two BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music.
Speaking about the album, Amadou and Mariam’s long-time manager and producer Marc-Antoine Moreau said: "The original idea was to make two albums – a crossover record in New York City, where Amadou and Mariam have many musical friends and relationships, and the other a more rootsy album recorded in Bamako with mostly African guests and African percussion instead of a drum kit."
