Despite the fact that he has been based in France for almost a decade now, Mikidache is regularly to be found boarding a plane and heading back to a destination he still calls “home.” One day, claims the guitar wizard from Mayotte, he'd like to spend at least half his time out there, “giving something back” to the island on which he was born. This might be by way of setting up a label, helping to organise professional recording structures or training up-and-coming young musicians. He's not sure yet. For the time being, each of Mikidache's trips back to Mayotte is a vital means of getting in touch with his roots, a way of drawing on memory and identity and providing inspiration for his lyrics and melodies.

In the course of his career, Mikidache has proved himself to be an unrivalled guitarist and he shows off his virtuoso skills to great effect on the twelve tracks on his new album, Mgodro gori. On this, his third album to date, Mikidache has teamed up with a number of Madagascan musicians including Régis Gizavo, the accordion maestro. Mikidache, who was born in 1969 in Mamoudzou, the capital of Mayotte, grew up in Grand Comoro, but returned to his native isle in later life, establishing himself as a musical experimenter, storyteller and general consciousness raiser.

The title track on his latest album pays tribute to mgodro, a 6/8 rhythm (close to Madagascan salegy) popular throughout the Comoros archipelago. Other songs on the album include an ode to Africa (Afrika), a celebration of female coquetry in the olden days (Mwaylera) and a passionate plea on behalf of those who have fallen off the bottom rung of society (Nisidayi). Mikidache also sends an urgent wake-up call to his compatriots – and the rest of the world – to act on ecological issues (Naristehi), attempts to dissuade those who live on Mayotte not to succumb to the mirage of the mainland (Wambiyezo) and calls for greater tolerance towards immigrants from the neighbouring islands of Anjouan, Grand Comoro and Moheli (Wananyatru).

“Putting across a message in my songs is very important to me,” says Mikidache, “I really believe we have a major role to play over there, because a lot of young kids listen to what we do. This is a way for us to be a bit involved in the development of the place where we were born.” Mgodro gori certainly gives listeners more food for thought than his first two offerings, Kauli (1997) and Hima (2004). What's more, this third album, recorded in local Mayotte dialect and Madagascan, is a brilliant showcase for the traditional rhythms of Mayotte. Proof that although Mikidache has chosen to live in Paris these days, he has certainly not lost touch with his roots!