Visionary composer, virtuoso multi-instrumentalist of the kora and balafon, and long standing Afro Celt Soundsystem member N'Faly Kouyaté will be performing live at Stroud Sub Rooms on Sunday, November 16.

N'Faly is back with a powerful new album of his signature Afrotronix sound: 'FINISHING' and he and his band will be performing tracks from the new album, plus works from across his career.

Following a successful UK tour in early 2024 for his 'Ré-Génération' EP, the release of 'FINISHING' marks a major milestone in N'Faly Kouyaté's journey and one that will be accompanied by a second run of nationwide shows in the UK.

'FINISHING' is a profoundly personal and universal work from the Avant-Garde Griot. Promising a powerful and true artistic manifesto, crafted in the intimacy of Siguiri, Guinea, that invites audiences to lose themselves in its sound.

N'Faly Kouyaté said: "'FINISHING' is my musical answer to a world searching for meaning...it is the echo of my ancestors carried by today's rhythms, a call to reflection and action. I wanted every note to be a question, every chorus a step towards a fairer, more conscious future."

Conceived during nine months of lockdown by the Bafing River, the album is the fruit of deep introspection. With N'Faly Kouyaté posing a fundamental question: "What if all the ills of society - war, theft, lies, violence - suddenly ceased?" This album is his musical answer, a five-language dialogue (Mandingue, Soussou, Pular, French, English) that prompts listeners into reflecting on the challenges of our time, without ever neglecting the call of rhythm.

With each track on 'FINISHING' offering a fragment of this humanistic quest, tracks like "Free Water" (feat. Tiken Jah Fakoly) stand as a vibrant plea for water protection, whereas "Khili Kanè" forcefully denounces slander.

"Mandela" pays poignant tribute to its eponymous icon of reconciliation, while "Kolabana" (feat. Didier Awadi) critiques on the lack of engagement in the face of global emergencies. Elsewhere tracks like "Mökhöya", "Halala" and "Kawa" explore the loss of mutual aid, dignity, and the value of humility respectively.

N'Faly's latest work promises to leave an indelible mark, offering music that not only resonates deeply, but also touches hearts, inspires consciousness, and strengthens the vital link between cultures.

Tickets are available at the Stroud Sub Rooms website.