Baka Beyond's 'Sing the World Awake' blends Cameroonian vocals with Western folk in uneven fusion
The British folk duo's first album in 12 years pairs traditional Baka polyphonic singing with expansive instrumental arrangements to mixed effect.
Su Hart and Martin Cradick have spent three decades fusing traditional Cameroonian Baka vocal music with Western instrumentation. Their new album, Sing the World Awake, features field recordings with a new generation of Baka singers and explores the polyphonic yodelling style used to evoke dawn spirits, according to The Guardian's review.
While individual tracks shine—such as Topé Malangui Kpode with its Ghanaian highlife-inspired guitar and The Swift featuring intricate violin work—the overall effect of splicing Baka melodies into various genres creates an "uneven patchwork of sound," the review states. The album is the duo's first release in 12 years on March Hare Music.
Sources
- Baka Beyond: Sing the World Awake review – powerful Cameroonian vocals burst through fussy arrangements — The Guardian — Culture
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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