"l empreinte" feels like a subtle but unyielding statement, and Fania's name goes down in every note, every silence, and with every breath of this eight-song folk album. This project was entirely written, composed, and produced by this singer-songwriter herself. It is a small, like-minded, and highly symbolic body of work that strongly argues for her artistic independence.
"l empreinte" was recorded at Pape Armand Boye's studio in Dakar, and mixed by Arnaud Bascuñana at Studio 180 in Paris. The odyssey traverses various locales, cultures, and textures, yet remains true to a caliber artistic aesthetic. Along with being a record, the album is owned because it breaks through her own label, Passionlungmusic.
The tracklist reads as chapters of a lived philosophy, beginning with the reflective pulse of "Conduite De La Vie" and culminating in its emotive center, "L'Empreinte." Songs like "djimini," "le son," and "nienie" are both personal, while "interlutte" gives you a breather before the plunge. "indigo" and "five fingers" close out the project with layers of emotional resonance that will have people talking for a long time.
The album is musically rich due to the various collaborators it features. Fania sings and plays the Stanway piano, lending the record a warm and vulnerable quality. Jean Mermoz Deguénou's Rhodes piano gives us depth, and Sékou Diabaté's guitars speak stories in music. The album features a deep, organic feel thanks to its rhythmic backbone, bass players Alassane Cissé and Docteur Diop, drum legend Laye Lô, and percussionists Thio Mbaye and Papis Diongue. Traditional ingredients by Edou Manga's kora, Moussa Toguola's ngoni, and Ibou Calebasse's calabash make a beautiful layered folk sound, topped with Milda's trumpet sounds.
"l empreinte" seems particularly considered beyond the instruments, and it is introspective and dedicated. The album shows a woman in complete command of her own narrative. She is making her own way with clarity and conviction. With "l empreinte," Fania makes contact in a way that feels indelible, intimate, and human-centric.
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