Africa

The band might not agree, nor perhaps the nation of France – but this really is a fabulous French pop album. It's light, a bit too sweet and fairly inconsequential. But it’s huge fun. Bisso Na Bisso have built their fame on marrying Congolese rhythms with hip-hop beats and building tracks that keep parties going well into the early hours of the morning. Africa continues that recipe of success, and with the right mix of drama and humour. The punchy zouk hip-hop ballad ‘Chéri Pas Douté’, featuring the breathy voice of Jocelyne, is a hot contender for French chart success, and will have couples clutching each other tighter in nightclubs all across francophone Africa. ‘Tonton’ wraps a hilarious tale of African family relations into club beats and Congolese guitars, and ‘Même Combat’ invites reggae star Sizzla in for some smooth roots reggae vibes.

Bisso Na Bisso have always had a knack for generating a party atmosphere that unites nations on the dance floor. They’re great when they stick to it, but much less exciting when their love for Africa translates into tear-jerking hymns, such as the saccharine ‘We are Africa’, with its ‘we are the world’ sentiments. Skip the ballads and slip a couple of the dance tracks to the DJ of your next house party – you’ll have done this record justice.