Hitting Europe’s high notes
High Notes
This year already looks set to be a great one for African popular music. Tamara Gausi takes a look at some of the names and faces behind this vibrant global scene
Last year, the unthinkable happened: African music became almost mainstream. From the ancient Malian folk of BBC Radio 3 World Music Award-winner Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba to the faux-African song ‘Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa’ of American preppie rockers Vampire Weekend to the R’n’B naija (Nigerian) pop of Olu Maintain (who made front-page news dancing to his song ‘Yahooze’ with former US secretary of state Colin Powell), African music helped define the sound of 2008.
The reasons for its broadening appeal are manifold. The internet-aided democratisation of the music industry has seen the dominance of traditional, instrument-based African roots music give way to a more contemporary, electro-dance sound.African music no longer exists for the sole consumption of expats, locals and sandal-wearing anthropologists, as witnessed in Samy Ben Redjeb’s Africa Delay parties in Frankfurt, Carsten Höller’s Congolese nightclub-cum-art installation the Double Club in London, and the MTV Africa Music Awards in Abuja, Nigeria.
As Europe-based Rwandan DJ Eric Soul puts it: “We are moving to a place where African culture isn’t just something people dip into because it’s trendy for that moment.
It’s becoming an important part of the fabric of global contemporary culture – and on its own terms.”
So who and what should newly converted Afrophiles look out for? Senegal is a great place to start. Its most famous son, Youssou N’Dour, continues to plug his latest Grammy-nominated release Rokku Mi Rokka, but his distinguished humanitarian and film work (including a mircocredit scheme with Benetton and the acclaimed documentary I Bring What I Love) is becoming increasingly prominent.
Love or hate his Auto-Tune melodic hip hop, the march of Akon (son of Senegalese master percussionist Mor Thiam) continues unabated with his forthcoming Freedom tour. Keep an eye out for half-Senegalese urban-pop poster girl Estelle, who’s still riding high off her single ‘American Boy’. And there’s new material from Baaba Maal and acclaimed Dakar rap trio Daara J.
Elsewhere in West Africa, Gambia’s crown prince of reggae, Dr Olugander, released ‘Stronger than Before’ in December, while Denmark-based Gambian dancehall star Mystic MC (aka Mustapha Coker) continues to do well with his For So Long album. Patrice Bart-Williams, the son of Sierra Leonean writer Gaston Bart-Williams, is another reggae-roots star on the rise, and Emmerson, Sierra Leone’s one-man political sharpshooter and love-song crooner, continues his reign as the country’s top-selling artist.
Further south, two of Angola’s biggest musicians – Waldemar Bastos and Bonga – are back, the latter with his 29th album (Barrio), released earlier this year. The DRC’s musical hegemony continues with Francophonic, a new compilation of tracks by legendary lingala guitarist Franco & Le OK Jazz, which has topped the world music charts. Meanwhile Kaysha, DRC’s answer to P Diddy has just released his latest R’n’B/zouk missive Forever Young, Congolese rap collective Lopango Ya Banka are still riding high off their Kongo Bololo set and, following his Music of the World Best Newcomer Award in Amsterdam last year, Congolese singer Jimmy Omonga is another one to watch in 2009.
Head east and Soul:ID, the Brussels-based ‘Afropean Soul’ quartet hailing from the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi, continue to plug their unreasonably funky Sex, Love and Philosophy album. DJ Eric Soul, son of Rwandan musical legend Cécile Kayirebwa, is working with Malian cassette vendor turned remixer ‘du jour’ MO DJ, as well as the Positive Soul Crew from Geneva and Germany’s Bantu Crew. While Jose Chameleone continues to be one of Uganda’s biggest pop acts.
But if the sound of young Africa was defined by anything in 2008, it was the coupé décalé sound from Guinea in the west and genge to the east. Like Angolan kuduro, coupé décalé is bass-heavy, booty-shaking party music that mixes in perfectly with the latest dance tracks from Europe and America. Genge music is the grittier, synth and sample-heavy sound of Kenyan street hip hop. On the coupé décalé front, 2009 looks set to be a big year for former 113 rapper Mokobé, currently causing a stir with his ‘African Tonik’ track. Undisputed king of genge Jua Cali started 2009 with a bang by launching his new album Ngeli ya Genge on New Year’s Eve.
Whatever your musical flavour – be it Swahili hip hop or classic lingala big band – there’s something for everyone in African music this year. Make sure you tune in.
Listen up
Where to catch
Africa’s musical stars
around Europe
Africa Festival (www.africafestival.org) in Würzburg, Germany. From May 29-June.
Afro Pfingsten Festival (www.afro-pfingsten.ch) in Winterhur, Switzerland. From May 27 to June 10.
Amsterdam Roots Festival (www.amsterdamroots.nl), which takes place every June.
WOMEX (www.womex.de) in Copenhagen. From October 28 to November 1.
Africolor Music Festival (www.africolor.com) in Paris. From November to December.