Edu Na Ka Vou

Founded in 2007 as a contemporary dance company, the ambitious group Vou (meaning ‘new’ in Fijian) have now attempted to translate the soundtracks to their visual dance performances into an audio recording that can stand on it own. And to their credit, for the most part they’ve succeeded on this debut album – devising a creative fusion of traditional Fijian music with modern stylings and digital technology.

Opening with a traditional chant (‘Same’), which highlights the twin influences of Melanesian and Polynesian cultures in Fiji, it’s not long before the sharp percussive crack of slit-log drumming kicks in on ‘Hey!’ and ‘Na Lali’. A couple of overly-commercial tracks – ‘Love Here’ and ‘Wasawasa’ – are a little too Western and slick for their own good, but the inebriated kava-inspired sing-along ‘Taki’ hits just the right spot and is great fun. Pacific hip-hop raises its funky head on ‘Go to School’ and ‘Vodominibus’, but the most impressive track is the eight-and-a-half-minute traditional medley ‘Vucu: Nai ucu uni Vakara/Meke: Na Vakara’, which features beautiful choir-like vocals from the residents of Silana village in Tailevu.

Given the minimal amount of Fijian music that has filtered through to the rest of the world so far, Edu Na Ka Vou (Something New) is a welcome and classy addition to the global yard.Bula Fiji!