Petit Afrique Album by Somi

After two cups of wine in. Yes its early in the afternoon but that is besides the point. I stumbled upon this irresistible album by Somi her voice fills my room almost angel like i listen to her while i take a break from binging the Sopranos great TV show if i may add just the right amount of cussing and violence but not too much to have your mother walk in thinking you watching gang fights from 1999. Nonetheless The album opens with modern field recordings and subway sounds that track toward "Alien," Somi's brilliant repurposing of Sting's "Englishman In New York." While Sting used it to lightheartedly play British standards against American society, Somi uses it as a more somber and serious vehicle to express issues of xenophobia and isolation felt by the African community in America. It's but one of many instances where cool musical foundations support heavy issues.




As the program continues, Somi's blend of musical sleekness and topical potency continues to carry the day. There's a taste of Afrobeat nouveau in "The Wild One," a slow and soulful "They're Like Ghosts" that's tied to love and yearning for what's been lost, a spryly bounding "The Gentry" that invites vocalist Aloe Blacc to join in on the telling of a tale about the showdown between Harlem's past and present, a positive "Holy Room" that serves as a testament to faith and love while also addressing Islamophobia, and a "Like Dakar" that bridges Mother Africa and Petite Afrique, touching on highs and lows painted in memories.




While Somi's mesmerizing vocals are the delivery system that gets each and every point and song across, her band is every bit as important to this project. In bringing together Liberty Ellman's mutable guitar and Toru Dodo's glazed chords, placing them atop vibrant yet understated grooves provided by bassist Michael Olatuja and drummer Nate Smith, adding a touch of strings or a standout guest to color the mix, and occasionally augmenting the band with a horn section that includes trumpeter Etienne Charles, alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, and multi-reedist Marcus Strickland, Somi creates a sonic recipe for success.




The music and the messages on Petite Afrique prove to be inextricably linked, and it shouldn't be any other way. Somi has crafted another smooth-flowing collection that's both affecting and intoxicating.