Nils Kercher makes delightful world music that stimulates the senses with sounds you’ve likely never heard before. The instruments he plays include the kora, balafon, and bolong. If you’re not familiar with them, don’t worry, neither was I.
“Unbroken Spell” is a colorful composition with more percussive instruments than you can count, having that certain type of exotic flavor that the best world music has. To that end, let’s say that world music is coffee. In that case, Nils Kercher’s brand of coffee would be rich, organic, fair trade certified espresso made with the highest caliber of machine. World music truly does not get any better — or any more hypnotic — than this instant classic. It’s fitting that it’s called “Unbroken Spell” because you feel like a spell is being cast on you as you listen to it. You’re entirely consumed by it as its various instruments jingle and tap dance around inside your head, livening you right up (like a triple espresso). Meanwhile, Kercher’s vocals and those of guest Mariama Kouyaté possess you, albeit in a good way. And when the song is over, you actually feel like you’ve just traveled somewhere else, somewhere far, far away. Even if you don’t find it particularly catchy, you have to admit that it’s quite the experience. You can’t say that about most music.
