Just seeing the name of Idrissa Souamoro on the cover is an inevitable curiosity, since the sixty-something musician made his reputation off the beaten track, following his convictions and never losing sight of his motivation. His record-producing career is a good illustration – he did a few recordings on national radio at the end of the 1960s, then produced the Tioko-Tioko LP with the Bamako Institute for the Young Blind’s Eclipse orchestra (a “social” album, according to the author), but it wasn’t until 2003 that his first album, Kôtè, was commercialised. Meaning there was a seven-year gap before the release of Djitoumou. The latest project was delayed because his producer came up against problems, but the singer seems barely perturbed by the long wait. "Taking your time makes for a more mature result", the teacher-musician even claims. 

Where the preceding album sometimes seemed restrained, this offering is characterised by a rich variety of arrangements that make it all the more accessible. The work of French arranger and composer François Bréant – known for his collaborations with names like Salif Keita, Thione Seck and Kekele – once more bears fruit. Some of the tracks show the influence of hunting music from Wassoulou, homeland of the artist’s family; others are more reminiscent of Congolese rumba, which reached as far as Mali in the 1960s.

With a reputation for satiric lyrics in his homeland, Idrissa Soumaoro strives to “play a small part in social education”.  On the album, whose title refers to the Malian region where he was born, at times he addresses his own people as if from afar. On Sigui ka Fô he advises people to sit down and listen if they want to avoid disputes. On Bèrèbèrè he calls for humility instead of believing in immortality. And Ali Farka Touré’s influence can be felt behind the impression of tranquil wisdom. A few days before he passed away, the legendary blues guitarist honoured an invitation from his fellow Malian, who he had known since the days when they both played in Ambassadeurs du Motel concerts.