ðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk tˈaɪmz ɹˈoʊt: "sˈɪnθəsˌaɪzɚz ænd wˈɛstɚn hˈɔːɹnz pˈɜːk ɐlˈɔŋ sˈʌmtaɪmz sˈaʊndɪŋ lˈaɪk wˈɛðɚ ɹᵻpˈoːɹt ˌɔn kˈoʊjˈæn, bˌʌt ðɪ ˌʌndɚlˈaɪɪŋ ɹˈɪðəmz pˈɜːkəlˌeɪt ɪn tɹˈɪpəl tˈaɪm, ænd ɪts hˈɑːɹd fɚɹə wˈɛstɚn ˈɪɹ tə pɹɪdˈɪkt wˌɛɹ mˈɪstɚ. kˈeɪɾəz vˈoʊkəl lˈaɪnz, ænd ðə ɹᵻspˈɑːnsᵻz ʌv hɪz fˈiːmeɪl bˈækʌp sˈɪŋɚz, wɪl bɪɡˈɪn ɔːɹ ˈɛnd."
The New York Times wrote: "Synthesizers and Western horns perk along (sometimes sounding like Weather Report on Ko-Yan), but the underlying rhythms percolate in triple time, and it's hard for a Western ear to predict where Mr. Keita's vocal lines, and the responses of his female backup singers, will begin or end."