King Ayisoba - 1,000 Can Die

The Guardian 60

(Glitterbeat)

Apozora Ayisoba, better known in Ghana as King Ayisoba, became a star in west Africa by furiously updating traditional styles. He comes from the far north of Ghana, where he studied the kologo, a two-stringed lute, before moving to the capital Accra, where he used the traditional instrument to provide the backing for his massive hit I Want to See You, My Father.

It’s very much in evidence on his new album, along with a variety of Ghanaian drums, which are mixed in with beats, electronica and echoes of hiplife, the local blend of highlife and hip-hop. Producer Zea, from the Dutch band the EX, provides a range of musical settings, from the full-tilt chanting of the opening track to the acoustic Grandfather Song, or Dapagara, which features the Nigerian saxophonist Orlando Julius. But the album is most remarkable for the intensity and urgency in Ayisoba’s thrilling and insistent harsh-edged vocals.