Reminder that I state every time I do a review: my opinion is only worth what you think it's worth, with that being said, here is myReminder that I state every time I do a review: my opinion is only worth what you think it's worth, with that being said, here is my track-by-track review of this album.
Hello: The Afropop vocals nicely contrast with the funky rhythms of the drums and the guitar licks. Other than a solid guitar break, nothing else is added to the song, which gets frustrating during the last minute. (7/10)
Musonsu: A beach song, if it were layered with chants that never become repetitive, and a guitar chord reminiscent of Beach Boys material. Unfortunately, it almost refuses to change up most parts of it's arrangement except for the way the vocals are delivered, however it does have a very satisfying climax during the last minute. (8/10)
Ofakombolo: A song that actually seems to have verses and a chorus, one of the more well-arranged songs on this album that remains quickly paced during it's short running time. The drumming properly grows in intensity when needed to, and the guitars sneak in during the last half quite smoothly. (9/10)
Benanga: The utterance of the title of track can get annoying, and the track itself never seems to progress too far away from it. For the most part, it's rather unadventurous, but the arrangement of the instruments themselves are technically sound. (6/10)
Pondjo Pondjo: Perhaps the most forward-thinking tracks on this album considering the grand use of electronic production and what sounds like string instruments. The vocals however, don't quite blend in with the themes the instruments themselves are trying to convey, until other supporting background vocals come in and give the song the grand harmony it had been looking for. (8/10)
Emikle Ngamo: Perhaps one of the more infectious and upbeat songs on this album, every single aspect of this song will make a person want to jump up and dance... I'm not, since I'm just listening to the song. The song will occasionally seem improvised, which is great until it gets to the extremely tame synth break towards the end. Still, it recovers quite nicely as the vocals bounce off of each other and randomly fun sound effects are used. (9/10)
Nkoy: Perhaps the point in which the album attempts to take a slightly more dramatic turn after what was a mostly upbeat first half. Even the ambience in this song is worth listening to solely on it's own. The percussion however, is in a completely different world and retains a weird presence throughout this song until the second half kicks... and damn, that second half is good! (9/10)
Nzele Momi: Continuing the ambience from the previous track, the percussion this time becomes a positive for this song, however, the guitar arrangement in this song is almost identical to one of the songs from earlier in the album. The vocals themselves seem deeply uninspired. The bass and percussion though, luckily keeps it out of troubled territory, and the way that it explodes during the last minute, is a rewarding payoff. (7/10)
Le temps passé: Perhaps the most raw track on this album, almost as if this were performed in a live setting, it's sparse yet retains a very sincere and vulnerable feel as the production of this song starts to build with the subtle entrance of the bass. Unfortunately, it never quite builds like it should and loses some of it's authenticity due to the long running time. (7/10)
Ekombe: Not much to dislike about this song, it has fun vocals, smooth guitar arrangements, and percussion that rolls along no matter where the song is at. My one complaint, it's too long for something that never changes. (9/10)
Bengai Yo: Much better use of the synth instruments in this song, it teams up with the guitar to create a subtle beat of upward momentum in this song. The tempo of the song almost appears to inconsistently not coexist with the vocals, and by now, all random vocals have become somewhat tiresome. Percussion steals the show, but not in a one-sided way, towards the end of the song. (8/10)
Final Score: 87/110 or 7.9/10... or for Metacritic purposes... 8/10. I recommend listening to this album, it is a simple, fun, and surprisingly adventurous album that really made my day.… Expand
