The traditional sounds of West Africa blend seamlessly with vibrant electronica on Finishing.  The new album from Guinean ‘Avant-Garde Griot,’ N’Faly Kouyaté is a masterpiece of Afrotronix

Release Date:  12th October 2025

Label: NAMUN Music

Formats: CD / Digital

AN AVANT-GARDE GRIOT

He’s described as an ‘Avant-Garde Griot’ – a West African poet and storyteller with a taste for the unconventional – whose work binds his Guinean heritage to the ultra-modern sounds of the 21^st century.  N’Faly Kouyaté is a native of Siguiri, Guinea, who arrived in Europe in 1994.  He studied at the Belgian Royal Conservatory, with the dual aims of understanding electronic music and becoming a master of the kora.

A performance at London’s Barbican Centre alerted the denizens of Afro Celt Sound System to N’Faly’s talents and imagination and N’Faly’s integration into the Afro-Celt ranks led directly to the birth of Afrotronix.  Which – in case you’re wondering – is an audacious fusion of AfroBeat, AfroTrap, AfroPop, RnB, jazz and world music.

COLLABORATIONS

As N’Faly’s name became known, his reputation grew and so did the demand for his services and his CV expanded to include collaborations with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant, Sinead O’Connor and Tayc.

N’Faly describes Finishing as his ‘Masterpiece’ and I don’t reckon that that’s an idle boast, either.  The album was conceived during a nine-month confinement period, by the Bafing River in N’Faly’s home city of Siguiri.  The songs are the fruit of deep introspection, with N’Faly posing a fundamental question: “What if all the ills of society – war, theft, lies, violence – suddenly stopped?”  Finishing is N’Faly’s musical response to that question, with the songs performed in a multiplicity of languages that include Mandingue, Souyssou, Pular, French and English, and which invite listeners to share the intensity of N’Faly’s reflections, without neglecting the call of rhythm.

LIKE A REFRESHING SHOWER OF RAIN

Opening track, Maloya, features the dreamy mix of kora and electronic influences that N’Faly’s track record has led us to expect.  The synths form the foundation of the sound, whilst N’Faly’s kora deals with the wild expressions and the musical statements.  His vocals are occasionally urgent, often laidback and, always, the kora patters like a refreshing shower of cool rain.

Ivorian reggae artist, Tiken Jah Fakoly sits in for the enticing Free Water.  The happy, fast-moving reggae rhythms provide the backing for Tiken’s impassioned pleas – in both English and French – for water protection: “We want free water – water for you, water for me.”  Meanwhile, drums, xylophone and a veritable plethora of other instruments make their presence well-and-truly felt.

A PLEA FOR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

N’Faly’s kora is folksy and plaintive, his vocals are intense and pleading and the synth sounds are deep and gritty for Kawa, a punchy blend of old and new that, eventually, develops a hypnotic edge.  N’Faly’s lyrics call out arrogance and vanity and register a plea for humility, and he continues to preach a message of tolerance with Premiers Pas, a sincere plea for partnership and collaboration between continents.  Medium paced and energizing, the song has a poppy hook; the kora sound is light but, never once does it become submerged beneath the clattering drums and the sweet electronica.

The sincerity in N’Faly’s lyrics is clear from his vocal delivery of Bandambé, his poignant tribute to his elder brother – a master griot – and his family’s heritage.  In contrast, his vocals take on a resigned intimacy  for Woalu, as N’Faly addresses the themes of slander, gossip and attempts to harm the reputations of others.  Percussion is in the lead here, but it’s kept in place by a punchy, insistent, synth rhythm.

TRIBUTE TO NELSON MANDELA

Senegalese hip hop artist Didier Awadi is the guest for the excellent Kolabana.  N’Faly takes first turn with the vocals and his voice is soft and tuneful, before Didier steps forward with a quickfire rap.  Typically for this album, the accompaniment is a delicious blend of ancient and modern and any excitement or anger that may, in different circumstances, have raised a head, is kept securely in check.

N’Faly’s powerful tribute to the late Nelson Mandela is, perhaps, the centrepiece to Finishing.  The tribute comes in two parts, starting with the atmospheric Sounds From a Mine where underground sounds are merged into a solid drumbeat. It continues to provide the foundation for Mandela, the main section of the piece.  Rhythms are joined by blissful harmony vocals, over which N’Faly expresses his alignment to artists everywhere who use their music to defend social justice, unity and humanist values.

THE REAL DEAL

And N’Faly’s voice carries the wisdom of generations gone by as he sings alongside the electronic tones and rhythms of Departure.  The blend is so subtle that the join is scarcely noticeable, even when the electronica yields to the comforting sound of the kora.  And Mökhöya, N’Faly’s vibrant call for solidarity, is another intoxicating fusion of folksy, tuneful, African vocals, swirling electronics and tinkling kora.  As always, they fit together beautifully.

N’Faly’s vocals for Halala, an anthem to dignity and integrity in the face of envy, are a mix of spoken word and soaring melodicism and, if by this stage, you’re still wondering what virtuoso kora playing sounds like, then ponder no more, because N’Faly’s performance here is the real deal. 

A FIRST-EVER COVER VERSION

And, to (almost) close this fascinating album, Finishing, the title track, is a widescreen offering that, on another continent, would surely be a contender for use as a movie theme.  Tightly-scored strings complement and echo N’Faly’s kora, whilst the electronics provide an irresistible propulsion.  Finishing (the song) is a piece of music that could find a comfortable home on a dancefloor, in a folk club, in the cinema or even on the factory floor.

I suggested that Finishing qualifies as almost the album’s closing track – because it isn’t.  Not quite.  To wrap things up on a joyful note, N’Faly has added a little bonus.  His version of Moty Kanté’s Yéké Yéké is the first cover version that N’Faly has ever recorded.  The song was, as you may recall, a huge mid-eighties hit in several European countries and its inclusion here is, perhaps, the album’s final masterstroke.  Kora and the fluent drumbeat restore a vibrant African heart to the song and it’s a rousing finale to a great album.

UK TOUR

If you like Finishing, N’Faly Kouyaté will be tour the UK during November 2025.  Details of the tour itinerary and tickets for the shows are available here.

Watch the official video to Premiers Pas, a track from the album, below:

N’Faly Kouyaté: Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube

Keep up with At The Barrier: Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube