Between 2 Worlds (Azalea City Recordings)

By David Luhrssen

Washington, D.C., has long had a funky live music scene, and Afropop has its place in the mix. Togolese expatriate Massama Dogo leads D.C.'s Elikeh with help from Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure and Dark Star Orchestra guitarist John Kadlecik. On Between 2 Worlds, the low-gravity guitar-driven grooves of West Africa—elastic jams that could go on forever without the risk of boredom—support consciousness-raising lyrics in songs such as “No Vision” (from shortsighted politicians) and the self-explanatory “Know Who You Are.”