MARS

MARS

Mars—the second album from Sinkane, a.k.a. Sudan-born Ahmed Gallab—is an utter delight. It's a fascinating tapestry of colorful Afro-funk and pop, jazz, and psych-rock that feels about as precise and focused as one could expect from an artist with so many musical tentacles. Sinkane—who in his younger years played in fringe and punk bands in Columbus, Ohio—has most recently worked with acts like Caribou and Yeasayer, and some of those friends return the favor here. (Ira Wolf Tuton of Yeasayer appears, along with members of the Afrobeat band Nomo and others.) But Gallab is the key instrumentalist here, and the controls are clearly in the hands of one person. From the melding of African funk and '70s American soul on tracks like "Runnin" and "Lady C'mon" to the chill, dance-floor groove of "Makin' Time" and spine-melting undulance of "Warm Spell," there's a lot going on that could easily have fallen victim to chaos and sprawl without a firm hand. The closing track, "Caparundi," feels like Bryan Ferry sitting in with Sun Ra's band in 1974. It's awesome and unique, words that sum up Mars quite nicely.

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