Mam Yinne Wa

Algote Oho is a Frafra gospel singer who cut his musical teeth performing in churches and festivals all over Ghana, two experiences that conjoin on this sunny album that marries the devotional with the frivolous, all the while exploring some altogether unexpected musical directions. His all-female choir accompaniment, aptly called Sounds of Joy, live up to their name by bringing a high-energy (and high-pitched) euphoria to the tracks, frequently flipping the usual solo-chorus lines to take the lead, followed by Oho and the brass-led rhythm section, who are audibly enjoying themselves throughout.

The opener, ‘Mam Yinne Wa’ (God, You Love Me So), sets a surprisingly sultry tone, the faux-woodwind keyboard sounds and bubbling Frafra percussion lines joined by a scurrying flute solo by Sabir Mateen. As well as big band jazz and rhythm & blues, there are strong reggae and dub influences throughout – the thumping ‘Zota Yinne’ was a sound system hit when first released as a single in 2014 – plus plenty of charming moments in the orchestration, such as the cosmic keyboard of ‘Allema Timba’, or the wobbly synth-bass that blends seamlessly into brass stabs on ‘Fom Se Mam’.