Just A Band

Synthetically generated African music has been around since the '50s, but Kenya's Just A Band are likely to represent some new milestone of how the words "African pop" are perceived. If last year's Damon Albarn-produced synth pop tracks by Amadou & Mariam represented a surprising mainstream breakthrough for the dyed-in-the-kente crossover group, Just A Band are motoring further down the same highway. First single "Ha He" features a CBC Radio 3-ready guitar riff and easily digestible chorus that wouldn't sound out of place in any top 40 pop in North America. The lyrics are mostly in English, and the vocoded, Tone-Loc-channelling declamatory style highlights pithy, often ironic observations. This is a record about luxurious, arpeggiated synths that range from Ed Banger territory to smooth and classy R&B fare. There are no attempts to hang any overt, stereotypical African signifiers on the music, nor is there an attempt to disguise the local origin of the music. 82 is resplendent in its cool tones and chilled vocals; its lyrical perspective and convincing, if implicit, funk on most tracks make this concoction of accessible elements something very distinctive, regardless of its origin.