African Revolution

Tiken Jah Fakoly is perhaps Africa’s most gifted reggae artist, stepping deftly in the footsteps of fellow Ivorian Alpha Blondy. On African Revolution, his tenth album, Tiken has certainly mellowed. Photos from the album booklet show a tuft of grey hair in his goatee. Time to settle down and rest on his laurels? No way. Gone are the big horns, dub effects and Jamaican guest artists from albums like Francafrique and Mangercratie. Instead listeners are treated to his most African album to date (recorded in his adopted Bamako as well as at the legendary Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica), featuring beautiful kora, ngoni and balafon playing. It’s calming, soothing stuff and after initial disappointments that this wasn’t the Tiken of old, it was impossible not to be swayed by the album’s sheer catchiness – think Daby Touré meets Jack Johnson.

One gets the sense that Tiken has become more of a realist over the years, with statements such as ‘this is only a song/It won’t change our lives’. Indeed, he sounds a little tired of the fight on African Revolution’ and ‘I1 Faut se Lever’ (You Have to Get Up). Aided by the clean production skills of Kevin Bacon (presumably not that Kevin Bacon) and Jonathan Quarmby, there isn’t really a duff song in the pack. Highlights include Nigeria’s Asa popping up on ‘Political War’ and ‘Initié’ (Thank You) on which Tiken sings in Bambana. Is this actually a reggae album? Perhaps not. It’s a stripped-down ode to Africa – a beautiful, logical step towards home and a surprisingly delicate album.