Luka Productions presents Falaw, an innovative take on West African Hip Hop and sample-based folktronica. A follow up from the acclaimed Malian “new age” inspired Fasokan (2017), Luka Guindo turns his focus to the rich cultural heritage of Manding music. Eschewing wholly PC-based sequencing, Falaw invites a number of traditional performers to join him in the studio. Griots recount sage stories over Luka’s sweeping synth pads while ngonis shred pentatonic solos to the crash of sequenced drum samples. Paying homage to the storyteller, combined with regional styles of lyrical Hip Hop, Falaw offers advice on modern living, with heartfelt songs about loss, love, and life. The effect is both otherworldly while seemingly organic. In a genre where all too often the “modern” is synonymous with outsider collaborators, Falaw is a groundbreaking entry into homemade fourth world and a sign of future Malian music to come.
Falaw by Luka Productions