Akwaaba African Headcharge Reviewed By : David Ellis

African Head Charge remain relatively unknown outside committed percussion and reggae circles, though they have featured on enough reggae-dub compilations to be recognisable to the average Jamaican music fan. So while ‘Akwaaba’, a breezy pop-reggae album that wouldn’t sound out of place at a Pentecostal Church summer fete, will come as no surprise to those already in the know, the more amateur reggae enthusiast may be in for more of a surprise.

Which seems unfair, given they have been around since the early 80s. Sustained by renowned percussionist Bonjo Iyanbinghi Noah, various line-ups over the years have included Junior Moses, Sunny Akpan, Prisoner, Crocodile, Skip McDonald and Jah Wobble. Their trademark instrumental rock-steady, Afrobeat-topnoted tracks have long been floor-filling favourites. You could then be forgiven some fair anticipation ahead of their latest album ‘Akwaaba’ – which makes the album itself all the harder to forgive. As slickly overproduced as the worst 80s pop-soul excesses of Aswad, with vocals worthy of a jetlagged, flu-ridden Shaggy, there are some noxious nadirs to be navigated. The almost apologetically poor ‘Cheer up’ could have been written for the Caribbean version of Playgroup, while the absolute low is quasi-melodic ballad ‘All of the Love’, in which tawdry lyrics compete with basic drum loops to drag the song ever-further beyond the musical pail. So much for the master of percussion.

It’s not all bad; the laid-back dub backing and growling ragga vocals on ‘Walking Thrill’ cast off the shackles of the heavy studio production and glimmers with dancehall sound system potential. And ‘World Peace’, with its straight-up reggae groove and ska piano riff draws fire from its flaws. There are then a few tracks worth listening to – it’s just a shame they are not so much diamonds in the rough as dimes in the dross.

4/10

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