Outlier: Recordings From Madagascar

Malagasy music refers to the extraordinarily diverse musical traditions of Madagascar, shaped by the island’s unique position between Africa and the Austronesian world. Its sound blends Indonesian-derived zithers and tunings with African polyrhythms, call-and-response vocals, and, later, European harmony and song forms. Core instruments include the valiha (bamboo tube zither), marovany (box zither), kabosy (box guitar-lute), lokanga (fiddle), sodina (end-blown flute), and a range of drums such as the hazolahy. In the 20th century, guitar, accordion, and electric bands became common, powering high-energy dance styles like salegy and tsapiky alongside older courtly and theatrical traditions such as hiragasy. Across regions, styles vary widely: Merina highland repertoires favor intricate zithers and multipart singing; the northwest and coastal cities champion fast, rolling 6/8 grooves; the southwest features trance-like guitar ostinatos and communal choruses. The result is a living continuum that moves from intimate, harp-like textures to exuberant, electrified dance music.