Customer Reviews

Vol. 1-Frikyiwa Collection

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

 

 

As an aficionado of both African music and dance remixes, I had high hopes for "Frikyiwa," but after several listenings I feel like I want more. More diversity in styles (in terms of both African sources and dance genres), more radical reconstruction, and personally more junglism. As it is, "Frikyiwa" contains only middling performances--and those in small bites--and mediocre, mainly Euro-style beats, plus two dub tracks that while good dub have only tiny bits of African sounds. While this disc should (and has) gotten credit for being an attempt to concentrate on African/dance fusions, I am looking more forward to what will progress out of this than with "Frikyiwa" itself.

As a great fan of Afropop in general, and of the overall Six Degrees-type approach to things, this one looked like a no-brainer. Like the other reviewer, though, I came away disappointed. There is certainly enough African material for Six Degrees-type remixes to last until the next century, and I think such projects are potentially very worthwhile, but the source material used here doesn't seem all that strong. Of course, it's kind of hard to tell because a thick gauze of electronic mush is draped over the whole proceedings. I don't hear anything innovative or inspired here, which is a real shame because the concept has such fantastic and varied possibilities. This one strikes out, but I hope Six Degrees pursues it in the future with the same vigor they've given South American treatments, for example.

I love a number of cuts on this CD and use it for exercise because some of the longer songs are upbeat, rhythmic, and a little repetative (in a good way).

i first heard this album on mnemba island..african music at it,s best a must for your collection