Madagascar's Tarika is led by female vocalist Hanitra Rasoanaivo who is on a musicologist as well as sociopolitical mission to rediscover the roots of her land. Fanafody (1992) worked as a survey of the local styles played with guitar and traditional Malagasy instruments, but was rather impersonal, whereas Balance (february 1994) presented Rasoanaivo's own compositions. Relocated to London, she focused on contemporary topics on Bibiango (november 1994), while the band provided rhythmic entertainment. Her ambitions peaked with the bleak (but no less rhythmically upbeat) concept Son Egal (1997) about the independence war against France. D (1998) simply samples hits of Madagascar, while Soul Makassar (2000) tried to bridge Indonesian and Malagasy music.