Modern Mali with tradition as muse, in the vein of Oumou Sangaré.

Malian griot (storyteller) musicians Trio Da Kali have collaborated with experimental Western string quartet Kronos on new album Ladilikan, released by World Circut records on 15th September 2017.

Read more: Nø Førmat collects the acoustic folk music of Mali in beautiful 4xLP box set

The result is a soulful collaboration that merges lesser-known, Malian instrumentals like balafon (xylophone) and bass ngoni (lute), with the kind of playful, uplifting strings you might find in a Salsoul disco song.

The collaboration marks the latest release in a long-term project with Kronos Quartet spearheaded by Aga Khan Music Initiative, dedicated to producing projects involving traditional musicians from around the world.

Pre-order a copy here and listen to the first single below: