This month’s Caribbean listening picks – Nigel Campbell reviews new music from Angela Hunt, Coutan & Dwala, D-Achie and Jas Liz
Angela Hunt
Mango (Self Release)
Trinidadian-American Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Angela Hunt has released a new album that expertly incorporates the rhythms and idioms of African-American hip music: soca, hip hop, reggae/dancehall, gospel, soul, reggaeton, Afrobeat, and more. It’s not over the top, satisfying the listener but not overwhelming. The collaborations with artists work effectively to highlight this album as a potential hit maker and a benchmark for how Caribbean music can be packaged to be embraced outside of the usual metropolitan island crowd. The title track, a duet with Wyclef Jean, seethes with a zouk flavor that makes dancing inevitable, while Faye-Anne Lyons makes the pop-power soca duet “Gelato” work well with her amazing lyrical flow. Other collaborators, Yemi Alade, Tarrus Riley, and rising reggaeton star Christian Alicea, add to the overall package that lives up to the promise of African music’s rise in the new world. Great!
Kutan and Dwara
1996 (Forms and Orders)
In the few years since singer (Denzil) Coutin emerged on the scene, he has honed his songwriting skills around stories that display a keen ear for youthful ennui and seductive escapism, and this album marks his rise to a global presence. With the help of London/Trinidad-based sound artist and producer Dwala, the singer’s relaxed island vocal expression blends well with sensual calypso, reggae/dub, R&B/soul beats, and the producer’s soothing and calming harmonic profile. Electric piano and saxophone smoothly complement the melody, while the downtempo mood shows another side of the Caribbean. Coutin sings of adoration for life and women, defines intimacy and portrays love. The listener becomes part of the conversations adults are always having behind closed doors. This collaboration shows how island beats are gaining popularity among the new generation streaming the music world. It’s a work that is both sublime and edgy.
D-Achie
You’re My Champion (Music Avenue) • single
Percussion virtuoso D-Achee has composed a celebratory anthem of joy and uplifting spirit. At 120 beats per minute and with guitar-driven West African rhythms, this music straddles the Black Atlantic with groove and inspiration. He sings: Everyone wants to know if you’re from Africa or Brazil. A challenge to the self-perception of black people in the Americas. The sounds of hand drums, log drums, gourds and metal percussion reverberate beneath consciously positive, life-affirming lyrics. So, enjoy life to the fullest in every aspect and don’t listen to the rumors they are spreading, I am not your enemy. Both the intro and bridge resonate with polyrhythms that have an African pulse and Caribbean DNA, and the track effectively executes on the simple idea of percussive sounds lifting the spirits and actions of the listener, and after a few listens, it may inspire many a high-energy TikTok dance video.
Jas Liz
Blue Moon (self-released) • single
On rare occasions, you can find someone worthy.This is the refrain sung by Jas Liz over a smooth R&B/island pop groove that gives confidence to anxious souls. The atmosphere is sensual and the message is inspirational. She said of her writing process, “I sing songs that I want to hear when I’m feeling down… I’m giving off that vibe when I’m writing songs. I don’t want to make music that’s going to make people go back to being sad.” And this song does just that. This young Trinidadian is set to explode out of MusicTT’s Spotlight program in 2021 and reach an even wider audience because she sings and performs with such confidence that it’s hard to believe she can be “down” at times. The new generation of Caribbean singers follows the tropes of modern R&B that emphasize introspection and honesty over beats that don’t race. This is a love song to yourself that’s worth listening to on repeat.
