release date: Mar. 22, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Max Grunhard
label: Merge Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "I Need You to Be Sweet Like Sugar (Nnge Nte Suka)" (live on KEXP) - 2. "Wanna Come Down" - 3. "Tell Me (Doko Mien)" - 5. "I Will Run" - 7. "She Work Very Hard" - 8. "Nyak Mien"
3rd studio album by London-founded musical collective Ibibio Sound Machine. The band was initially formed by the three musical producers, (Australian-born) Max Grunhard, Leon Brichard, and Benji Bouton who got together to make a blend of Afro-funk with an electronic or a Drum'n'bass dimension, and the three engaged the London-born Nigerian lead vocalist Eno Williams, (Ghanaian) guitarist Alfred Kari Bannerman, (Brazilian) percussionist Anselmo Netto and the two multi-instrumentalists, Tony Hayden and Scott Bayliss. Brichard and Bouton left the project in the hands of Grunhard and the collective was then expanded by bassist John McKenzie and drummer Jose Joyette, which means that the musical collective now counts eight members.
Musically and stylistically, Ibibio Sound Machine represents a huge melting pot of influences and styles. Sometimes it's almost clean afro-funk or predominantly Drum'n'bass, at other times it focuses more on synthpop and / or an electronic soundscape, but most of the time it's just an original blend of everything and in that respect it feels like a manifestation of modern fusion (rock).
Some songs makes me think of Grace Jones (tracks #2 & #6) or M People (track #3) and my general impression is that the end result is a wee bit difficult, 'cause where's the Ibibio Sound Machine soul if not a modern but smart copyist "band"? The album is not far from the band's previous album Uyai (2017), but I find this a much more coherent and also better mixed release. Generally, I find that the electronic and afro-funk-styled compositions turn out the best with the Drum'n'bass bits as more anonymous and somewhat retro-styled.
Doko Mien is not a clear favourite, though it definitely has its positive moments.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]
