Donso

Donso is a French-Malian quartet from Paris, France, active since 2004. The name means “hunter” in Bambara, a Mande language spoken in West Africa, and it is also the title of the group’s self-titled debut album.

Music and style

The group works at the meeting point of electronic music and Mande hunter traditions. Its sound combines hard-edged broken beats with Bambara vocals sung by Malian vocalist Gedeon Papa Diarra. French producer Krazy Baldhead provides the electronic framework, while the Donso N’Goni, a hunters’ harp, is used extensively across the album to add a distinctive acoustic texture.

Debut album

Donso’s debut album is released on Comet Records and appears in 2010. It presents a modern interpretation of hunters’ music from the Mande tradition, which has a long history in West Africa.