Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate: Faya

A creative experiment at a Marseille music festival gave birth to this pairing of New York singer-rapper and Guinean kora wizard. Joe Driscoll, now based in the UK, is a solid wordsmith with quickfire delivery. Kouyate, from deep traditional roots, took his instrument into the contemporary stratosphere with Marseille kora-rock outfit Ba Cissoko, adding amplification and pedals. Here the "Jimi Hendrix Africain" sets out his stall on the largely instrumental opener, with fast flurries of distortion over a funky hip-hop rhythm. From then on both men contribute vocals in their own languages on a series of infectious tunes, interspersed with raps and underpinned by Kouyate's impressive bursts of acoustic and electric kora. A fine, if brief, collection (30 minutes plus a remix); expect fireworks at their April gigs in Dublin and Cork. joeandsekou.com
Download: Passport, Faya, Wonamati