No Sant
| No Sant | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Label | Triloka[1] | |||
| Producer | Yasuaki Shimizu, Wasis Diop | |||
| Wasis Diop chronology | ||||
| ||||
No Sant is an album by the Senegalese musician Wasis Diop.[2][3] It was released internationally in 1996.[4]
"African Dream" peaked at No. 44 on the UK Singles Chart.[5]
Production[edit]
The album was produced by Yasuaki Shimizu and Diop.[6][7] Diop sang in Wolof, English, and French.[8] The album employed choirs, talking drums, saxophone, and bagpipes among its instrumentation.[1]
"Dem Ba Ma (Le Dernier Qui a Parlé)" was written by Amina Annabi.[7] Lena Fiagbe sang on the album.[9] "T.G.V." is about French oppression in Africa.[6]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Robert Christgau |  [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [12] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [6] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [9] |
| Vancouver Sun | [13] |
The Orange County Register called the music "sometimes ambient and introspective... It's often as solemnly beautiful as morning prayer."[14] The Vancouver Sun wrote that Diop's "voice is a comforting instrument that moves softly and gently through this free-form pop release, making it familiar on first listen."[13] The Miami New Times labeled the album "a brilliant musical tapestry that deftly weaves instrumentation from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas."[15]
The Gazette stated that Diop "spins his moody tales with pristine clarity and grace... The production values are extremely high while arrangements are inventive and often surprising."[16] The Sydney Morning Herald determined that No Sant, "like so many great contemporary world music recordings, is a demonstration of the seemingly endless possibilities available when traditional African music collides with Western pop."[9] The Santa Fe New Mexican deemed it perhaps "the best Afropop album of the year," writing that "the emphasis here is on the overall sound, which is resonant and sweet, driven by sparse but well-placed percussion, and colored with airy sax and keyboard flavorings."[17]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "African Dream" | |
| 2. | "Di Na Wo" | |
| 3. | "Holaal Bu Baah" | |
| 4. | "T.G.V." | |
| 5. | "Ma Na" | |
| 6. | "Dames Electriques" | |
| 7. | "N.O.P." | |
| 8. | "No Sant" | |
| 9. | "Issa Thiaw" | |
| 10. | "La Danse des Maures" | |
| 11. | "Dem Ba Ma (Le Dernier Qui a Parlé)" | |
| 12. | "Sb – Le Voyageur" |
References[edit]
- ^ a b Heckman, Don (21 June 1998). "Africa Has a Personal Message for Pop". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 57.
- ^ "Wasis Diop Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Dorian, Frederick; Duane, Orla; McConnachie, James (May 7, 1999). World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Rough Guides.
- ^ "World beat reviews: 'No Sant'". Los Angeles Sentinel. 1 Aug 1996. p. B3.
- ^ "Wasis Diop Feat Lena Fiagbe Full Official Chart History". Official Charts.
- ^ a b c MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. pp. 221–222.
- ^ a b Verna, Paul (Sep 14, 1996). "No Sant". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 37. p. 81.
- ^ Provencher, Norman (10 July 1997). "Round-the-world feeling". Ottawa Citizen. p. F2.
- ^ a b c Elder, Bruce (4 Nov 1996). "Stunned by a cultural collision". The Guide. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 10.
- ^ "No Sant (What's Your Name?)". AllMusic.
- ^ "Wasis Diop". Robert Christgau.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 14.
- ^ a b Monk, Katherine (24 Oct 1996). "Recordings". Vancouver Sun. p. D9.
- ^ Darling, Cary (October 11, 1996). "Diop: African music for the new age". Orange County Register. p. F51.
- ^ Almond, Steven (October 3, 1996). "Rotations". Music. Miami New Times.
- ^ Feist, Daniel (26 Oct 1996). "Wasis Diop No Sant". The Gazette. p. E6.
- ^ Cummings, Jim (15 Nov 1996). "A Compendium of World Music Vocal CDs from Senegalese to Mexican". Pasatiempo. The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. 31.
