Manfila, Kante – “Ni Kanu” – [Hemisphere]

This is Kante Manfila’s fourth solo album, which apparently it translates as “Love” and is about topics like arranged marriages, materialism, lust for power, piety, truth, war and righteousness. It has a polished, mainstream African sound – the kind that Paul Simon’s “Graceland” made famous here in the ’80s. It’s not bad, but for those of you who fear a soft and warm auditory experience – you may be passing on this. For the rest of you, I’ll recommend track 8 (Koufenko [Destiny]) – but your milage may differ.