Amai Kuda

Reviews of this album will unfortunately tend to be dismissive. There's no getting around the politically and culturally charged content of this disc ― the debut of the daughter of acclaimed novelist M. Nourbese Philip will make folks uncomfortable. This record is a descendant of Toronto's dub poetry boom of the '80s. It's constructed of densely woven spoken, rapped and chanted words. Essentially it's a folk record employing various North American and African techniques. Soul, jazz, blues and an extensive use of percussion are part of the conversation. Her politics are quite progressive and may simply be viewed as strident by some, but strong songwriting makes the difference as she explores social justice, sexuality, the environment and much more. The production adds deft electronics and complex yet driving rhythms to set the pace. The fact that there are few tonal instruments or keyboards makes for a less sweetened, but tastier, musical experience; it's the vocals and percussion that make up most of what you hear. This hits too hard to ignore.