Other than Manu Dibango's soul-infused 70s hit, Soul Makossa, and Henri Dikongue's latter-day singer-songwriterly poetics, artists from the West African nation of Cameroon are still relatively unfamiliar to Western audiences. But the area is home to some of the continent¹s most vital and accessible pop styles, and Coco Mbassi¹s throaty, caressing vocals and sophisticated arrangements require even less translation than most. Her soulful, urbane sound is assembled from relatively small forces. A tinge of dreamy, melancholic French cabaret melody weaves through jazzy piano, woodwinds, and acoustic bass, but the multi-layered percussion and women's choirs speak eloquently of centuries past. She sings about the tragedy of drug addiction, her devout Christian beliefs, and appreciating those you love before it's too late. It may seem odd to recommend this album to fans of Norah Jones, but open-minded listeners who are not overly attached to English-language lyrics will find plenty to love here. -- Christina Roden

Other than Manu Dibango's soul-infused 70s hit, Soul Makossa, and Henri Dikongue's latter-day singer-songwriterly poetics, artists from the West African nation of Cameroon are still relatively unfamiliar to Western audiences. But the area is home to some of the continent¹s most vital and accessible pop styles, and Coco Mbassi¹s throaty, caressing vocals and sophisticated arrangements require even less translation than most. Her soulful, urbane sound is assembled from relatively small forces. A tinge of dreamy, melancholic French cabaret melody weaves through jazzy piano, woodwinds, and acoustic bass, but the multi-layered percussion and women's choirs speak eloquently of centuries past. She sings about the tragedy of drug addiction, her devout Christian beliefs, and appreciating those you love before it's too late. It may seem odd to recommend this album to fans of Norah Jones, but open-minded listeners who are not overly attached to English-language lyrics will find plenty to love here. -- Christina Roden