Customer Reviews

C'Est La Vie

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One can best appreciate the universality of music when listening to artists who sing in a language that one does not understand. One can focus on the sensuality of the voice as another instrument in the arrangement, and bask in the enveloping images. Rarely have I heard a recording that makes this more possible than "C'est La Vie". Dikongue has produced a work of brash introspection and curiously raw sophistication, meticulous simplicity and placid bounciness, if any of this makes sense. It doesn't so much make me dance as sway and just generally groove. The songwriting, melodies, arrangements and production are all far superior to and intimate than his other currently available works. With an understanding that this CD is a consistent effort with no weak links, the strongest cuts are "Ndol'asu" with its swinging rhythms and violins, "Na Tem Ite Idiba", the memorable melody and group vocals of "Na Teleye Owa Ngea", the soaring "We Nde Mba", and "Francoise". If you like world music but would prefer a sample that accentuates the internal beat of the soul while still swinging, "C'est La Vie" is worth many listens.

One heartening trend in music these days is the amount of acoustic based music coming out of Africa. There was a time when much African music was synthesizer heavy and over produced, but with albums like last year's superb Ne La Thiass from Cheikh Lo, as well as work by Cesario Evora and others, subtlety seems to be coming back in style. One term I want to stay away from is "authentic", which is hard to define anyway these days. The instrumentation on this beautiful album is largely western - guitars, violin, piano, organ - but it can easily be argued that by now the guitar is a traditional African element - it has certainly been a key instrument in African pop for decades.

Henri Dikongue is from Cameroon. He has made an album that alternates gracefully between the delicate and the driving, that soothes the soul and fires up the feet. I can only recommend this highly to anyone who loves good music, from Africa or anywhere else. It has elements of European pop, Cameroonian Makossa, and even the jangling guitars of the Soukous music from nearby Zaire.

This CD always brings my mood up by many points. It is something different!

C'est la Vie is just all I love about music it always makes me feel happy and relaxed I am now getting WA his new CD as I have been waiting to get more of Henri Dikongue. He is pure magic and talant and I wish him all the success in the World.Thank you Henri!

From Cameroon, Henri Di Kongue plays african music with all modern arrangements. Good rythm, nice melodies, various instruments ... all you need to travel the Sunny World of Human Brotherhood!

....led me to clamp on a pair of headphones at Hear Music. Whoa! Track after beautiful track. Lyrical, gorgeous. Makes you want to lie back and let the music wash over you. You'll love it.

This was definitely the best CD that I bought during 1999. I highly recommend it to anyone.

This is one of the best examples of accoustics combined with a subtle African style I've ever come across. The title song, c'est la vie is absolutely superb. The first time I heard it, I kept playing it over and over, it's so beautiful. Such rare and gifted talent deserves everyone's appreciation!

This is a sensitive, rhythmic recording with a great groove and feel. A group of friends just saw Henri live for the second time three days ago- wonderful, lively music that is reflective, philosophical, joyous, celebratory. You will like this CD.

The perfect cd to listen to while driving your convertible by the ocean, very slow.