Photo by Benoit Peverelli

Malian husband-and-wife duo Amadou & Mariam has announced a new album, Folila, due March 27th via Nonesuch/Because. For their third LP, the duo recorded the basic tracks in New York, and re-recorded them in Bamako, Mali, with longtime producer Marc-Antoine Moreau. Along the way, they teamed up with a slew of noteworthy contributors, including TV on the Radio, Santigold, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner, and Theophilus London. Below, you can stream an extract of the album track “Oh Aamadou”. Another track, the Santigold and Nick Zinner-aided “Dougou Badia”, is streaming at Pitchfork.

In advance of the new album, a four-song EP of the same title will be released January 24th on Nonesuch.

The record was put together by KCRW DJ and Los Angeles Times Magazine contributor Nic Harcourt, Mercer Street/Downtown Records, and the Enough Project and is available as a digitial download starting today. A physical release will follow on June 22nd.

Explains Enough Projector co-founder John Prendergast (via LA Times), “One of the principal reasons why there is little international response to the terrible human-rights crimes in Congo — particularly against women and girls — is that people just don’t know that these things are happening… This compilation album will be a beacon to light the path to educating hundreds of thousands of people about the issues in Congo and what all of us can do to help end the suffering there.”

According to an issued press release, all profits raised through this compilation will help fund critical field research and awareness raising efforts that will work to end the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Find the complete tracklist below. For additional information about the Raise Hope For Congo project itself, click here.

Raise Hope For Congo Tracklist:
01. Lonely Soldier – Damien Rice
02. Not Immune – Imaad Wasif
03. Angel Mom – Jesca Hoop
04. 40 – Meshell Ndegeocello
05. Je t’aime – Staff Benda Bilili
06. Leila – Angelique Kidjo
07. Na Miso – Chantal Kreviazuk
08. World of Trouble – Norah Jones
09. My Name is Mwamaroyi – Sheryl Crow
10. Don’t Let Me – Amel Larrieux
11. Raise Hope – Omékongo Dibinga & Shahin Shahida
12. Never Again – Ozomatli & The Agahoza Shalom Youth Village
13. Sleep Alone – Bat For Lashes
14. Before You Were Young (Live at Joe’s Pub) – Travis
15. Hora Zero (Live at Wecheter) – Rodrigo y Gabriela
16. Tambara – Amadou & Mariam
17. Nsimba & Nzuzi – Konono No 1
18. Priority (A Cappella) – Mos Def

All Tomorrow’s Parties:

Looking to keep up with his co-curators, The Simpsons’ Matt Groening has added another round of names to All Tomorrow’s Parties Weekend One. Panda Bear, The Residents, Deerhunter, Broadcast, Daniel Johnston, Shonen Knife, and Amadou & Mariam are among those now scheduled to appear perform at Butlins Holiday Centre from May 7-9. Press your luck with tickets here.

Primavera Sound:

Europe’s version of Pitchfork, the Primavera Sound Festival, has added the likes of Mission of Burma, Orbital, Wire, Low, Superchunk Dr. Dog, Japandroids, The King Khan & BBQ Show, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Circulatory System, and Sic Alps to its already ridiculously indie friendly lineup. This inane list will join previous confirmed acts such as Pavement, Pixies, Wilco, The Fall, Panda Bear, and The New Pornographers in Barcelona, Spain from May 27-29. Tickets (you know you want ‘em) are here.

Hillside Inside:

Getting back to North America, Hillside Festival’s winter extravaganza, Hillside Inside, will return to the Sleeman Centre in Guelph, Ontaio this February 6th. Confirmed to participate in this year’s festivities are Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton, Hawksley Workman, Final Fantasy, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and Woodhands among others. Ticket information here.

Included on the DVD, which will be presented in 5.1 surround straight from the Bonnaroo master tapes, will be performances from headliners Bruce Springsteen, Phish, and the Beastie Boys as well as indie favorites Passion Pit, Cage The Elephant, and The Decemberists. In all, the release will feature 16 of the festival’s performers.

The DVD is now available for pre-order at a limited-time price of $15.00. Hit up bonnaroo.com for all the details.

Live From Bonnaroo 2009 DVD Tracklist:
Bruce Springsteen – Outlaw Pete
Phish – Down With Disease
Beastie Boys – Intergalactic
Snoop Dogg – I Want To Love You
Elvis Costello & Jenny Lewis – Go Away
Ben Harper – Fly One Time
Andrew Bird – Fitz & The Dizzspells
The Decemberists – The Wanting Comes In Waves
Del McCoury Band – Moneyland
Coheed & Cambria – Welcome Home
Amadou & Miriam – Masiteladi
Santigold – LES Artistes
Zac Brown Band – Who Knows
Passion Pit – Little Secrets
Raphael Saadiq – Keep Marching
Cage The Elephant – Ain’t No Rest

Speaking of the shows to NME, Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koening offered up the biggest understatement:

“I think the Hyde Park show will be pretty phenomenal. People have been waiting a long time to see Blur reunite and it’s flattering to be invited to play at all. This will be my first time seeing Blur live and I’m psyched.”

Unfortunately, unless you already have tickets, the only chance of seeing this performances will be to either hop a fence and risk serious jail time, or wait for videos to surface on YouTube…

Blur 2009 Tour Dates:
06/26 – Manchester, UK @ MEN Arena
06/28 – Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
07/02 – London, UK @ Hyde Park
07/03 – London, UK @ Hyde Park
07/10 – Eadestown, IE @ Oxegen
07/12 – Kinross, IE @ T in the Park