By Yinka Oludayisi Fabowale
Karaoke? Afrobeat? Or highlife in the version popularised by the likes of Jimi Solanke, Tunji Oyelana, or Chris Ajilo? This is the dilemma that confronts you as you listen to Horoscope, Alaba Ajani’s debut album released a while back in audio CD.
The music of the multi-talented artist is hard to pigeonhole into a particular genre. It offers a blend of the three identified above with eclecticism that perhaps gives it its own refreshing and profound originality.
A six-tracker, the offering reminds one almost at the same time of masters such as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Jimi Solanke, Tunji Oyelana and the late Sodipo of ‘Ma Gbadun Ara Mi’ fame, who all spiced up party evenings and celebrations, where authentic, sedate indigenous tunes and not “noise” such as is customary, especially among the crowd of youths these days, is preferred.
And that really perhaps is the shocker: Seeing a still arguably youthful musician making a choice to drive what may be described as the ‘old skool’ music. However, in spite of the cool, simple rhythm that defines it, the musician gives his art an appeal and touch in slight sync with the pop culture that his contemporaries and younger ones will find irresistible.
The tracks – Horoscope, Okan Lori Ago, Chronicles, Thriller, Faaji, and Ololufe are all melodious delight, showing deft synchronisation and harmony of dexterous string works and percussion in a simple, scintillating rhythm, that you want to listen to at a quiet bar or arena, or that caressingly taunts you to take slow dance steps on the floor of dignified celebrative gathering.
The title track, Horoscope, and others like Okan Lori Ago and Chronicles, with their haunting soulful tenor and transcendental strains, bear a tinge of spirituality that lulls the listener into an ethereal mood and blissful escape from the jarring horrors of the earthly.
Contrastingly, Thriller, Faaji and Ololufe (the latter being a bonus track by Korede Kolawole, a guest artiste), tend to serve the hedonistic taste, although still emphasizing the message of love.
A remarkable feature of the songs is the musician’s demonstration of a mastery of African idioms, proverbs, particularly Yoruba language and culture, as well as an obvious closeness to and acuity in observing nature, in his rendition of the lyrics.
This, the University of Ibadan English Studies graduate served with a mish-mash of scat and smattering of English to produce an aural sensation in the audience.
No doubt, with this spectacular maiden outing, Ajani, who, in addition to training as a journalist, also has an abiding passion for nature photography, is no doubt a musician to watch.