World Psychedelic Classics, Vol. 5: Who Is William Onyeabor?
by William Onyeabor
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
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  1. AllMusic
    Dec 11, 2013
    90
    Who Is William Onyeabor? may not answer many biographical questions, but it does paint a superb portrait of the musician as a highly original creator and pioneer; it adds depth and dimension to the picture we have of African music during the era.
  2. Pitchfork
    Dec 11, 2013
    86
    Who is William Onyeabor? doesn't provide any answers its own posited question, but the mystery and wonder of the man’s music remains intact.
  3. The Wire
    Dec 11, 2013
    80
    Effervescent retro fun with a core of righteousness. [Nov 2013, p.66]
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  5. Record Collector
    Dec 11, 2013
    80
    A riot of synth squelches, bleeps and wibbles threaten to derail the music yet never quite do; indeed, repeated listens to the likes of Love Is Blind reveal a wealth of riches hidden among the dense patchwork of sounds.
  6. The Quietus
    Dec 11, 2013
    80
    Who is William Onyeabor? is a surprising--yet camp--African reinterpretation of funk and disco, meant for our bodies and souls.
  7. Fact Magazine (UK)
    Dec 11, 2013
    80
    The hard-won fruits of this album have been worth it.
  8. Rolling Stone
    Dec 11, 2013
    70
    The catalog gets cherry-picked here for a killer party mix that combines Fela Kuti's extended-groove trance states and soulman call-and-response vocals with old-school drum machines and synths.

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