Rating:
Genre:
World
Release Date: 03/04/2008
An African street party is actually a pretty nebulous concept, but this does manage to put together some convincing, joyous music from the African continent -- mostly West or Central Africa, with some collaborations that extend across the Atlantic, making this a multi-continental party. It starts with a bit of a cheat -- a remix of a track by
Vieux Farka Touré, son of the late
Ali Farka Touré. Whether it's necessary is up for debate -- there's ample great dance music in Africa without needing to use remixes. But by the time of
Massukos, the album hits its stride, the sound soulful, and
Luisito Quintero's collaboration between Venezuela and Cameroon contains strong elements of
Afro-beat, which raises its head again -- at least a little -- in
"Awure Banza" by the wonderfully named
Fatayi Rolling Dollar. There's a strong variety of sound, from the
salsa-influence of
Ricardo Lemvo to the raw acoustic roots of
Kenge Kenge, but most sonically interesting are the vocal harmonies of
"Nkukyaye" from Uganda's
Kaz Kasozi, which seem to have dropped in from another planet. So it's not a perfect compilation, but it is an intriguing one.
~Chris Nickson, All Music Guide
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