Water Of Life

Description

The Afro-Finnish group Maajo returns with their third album, Water of Life, a fluid celebration of diverse influences. The album is their first release with the Brooklyn-based label Wonderwheel Recordings. Maajo's characteristic Afro-Balearic sound meets new age and late 80s fusion, with touches of modern soul. The arrival of two band members, Waina and Gilbert K, along with artists Issiaka Dembele and Ismaila Sané, has anchored the album's stories in a wide range of contexts, featuring vocals in no less than six different languages. Gilbert K's drum grooves pay homage to the legendary legacy of the late Tony Allen, while the percussion experiments with a more melodic and atmospheric edge. Cold synth pads and 303 squelches blend with warm guitars, fretless bass, and the sublime kora and balafon harps of Issiaka Dembele. Water of Life showcases a band at its peak, achieving the intercultural coalescence of Finno-African sound that is perfect for both the dancefloor and home listening. Maajo is a sonic, linguistic, and cultural melting pot that came together in Tampere, Finland, like a tropical breeze from the Far North. Their musical explorations lead from equatorial soundscapes to the woods and moods of their native Scandinavia. African influences, electronic and organic rhythms, ethereal character, and sounds of nature form the sonic patchwork of Maajo.