Anansy Cissé gives us more Malian blues this week with the release of lead single Foussa Foussa from forthcoming second album Anoura.

It’s not always easy being a musician in west Africa.

Following the release of his debut album, Mali Overdrive, in 2014 Anansy Cissé and his band were en route to play a festival near Timbuktu when they were ambushed by an armed militia. The gang proceeded to smash all their instruments.

These are difficult times in parts of Mali and not everyone is happy that there are those who simply want to sing, play guitar and entertain their fellow citizens.

But, thankfully, Cissé has not been silenced and he’s back with new album Anoura (The Light), to hit the airwaves on 26 February 2021.

In advance of that release, we have the single Foussa Foussa. Arguably displaying a harder edge than most of Mali Overdrive, but with various other influences, notably bits of dub added into the mix.

It’s an expression of love and a hope for better times ahead. The song has actually been around for a while, but has been re-worked and given an additional richness for the new album.

We can but applaud his persistence and enjoy the music.