Album review

Angélique Kidjo

Õÿö

Paris 

19/01/2010 - 

Benin native Angélique Kidjo has released her second album, Õÿö, reflecting the broad range of influences that made the artist what she is today.

There is extraordinary musical variety on Angélique Kidjo’s new album. It features R&B, soul, jazz, traditional Benin melodies and Bollywood sounds, not to mention covers of songs from the likes of Curtis Mayfied (Move On Up), Santana (Samba Pa Ti), James Brown (Cold Sweat), Otis Redding (I Got Dreams to Remember) and Sidney Bechet (Petite fleur). There are also covers of  female idols she adored in her youth, such as Bella Bellow, Miriam Makeba and Aretha Franklin.

This eclecticism is a bit bewildering, without a doubt. But perhaps that’s what happens when you go hunting down the old memories of your first musical loves. For her follow-up to Djin Djin (2007), which won her a Grammy Award, Angélique Kidjo has turned towards the music that enthralled her in her youth, as a way of tipping her hat to the greats. Of course, this means that most of the tracks here are cover versions.

Her voice – with its remarkable intensity both in the gentler moments on this album and in its raw energy – forms the link between the various tracks. Always ready to share singing duties, Angélique has made a habit of inviting others to appear on her albums. This time around, she has invited Roy Hargrove, John Legend and Dianne Reeves to duet with her, demonstrating her real talent for collaboration.

Angélique Kidjo Õÿö (Naïve) 2010

Patrick  Labesse

Translation : Hugo  Wilcken