Pick of the Week: Benon & Vamposs
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It is not a frequent event to have the opportunity to listen, enjoy, and then review a unique band from Uganda. The duo Benon & Vamposs are stars in Uganda, a literal hit machine there with the potential to spread their wings and take off on much larger scale with the right representation.
"I Know" is a 14-track treat filled with reggae, R&B, hip hop and some sweet pop around the edges for extra polish. This is eclectic music and anyone who has a penchant for world music and preferably an open mind to discover something entirely different, this album can be a gold mine of discoveries.
Many of the tracks feature their Ugandan dialect but it does not seem to matter because they are so smooth, the beats are irresistible, and somehow you get the feeling that whatever it is they are singing about means well and feels so lighthearted that it comes at you with complete joy. They do, at times, remind me of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whom I have always respected and admired, then found myself totally blown away when I saw them perform live. That is another story though.
The highlight tracks for this listener are:
"My Lady," a pop nugget so sweet and smooth you cannot help but melt right in your seat when you first hear it.
"I Know" is filled with an undying spirit and a significant feeling of pure love comes shining through. This one is a real heat-seeker for the singles charts if they decide to release it as such.
"Mambo" is the track that put the icing on the cake for me and summed up the entire recording. There is also a video for this track, which turns out to be a good choice, because it uses all of the duo's many talents. It has that popular reggae beat with hip hop mixed in, and a story about the hardships of life with a message of faith telling you that if you take things day by day, you will overcome the challenges you face no matter what the naysayers say.
In addition, their example of growing up in the ghetto reminds us of how it can give you character and build a tougher person to deal with the difficulties that may come your way. All three tracks are standouts and I think they all could be very successful singles. The rest of the album as a whole is very solid.
The last thing I would like to point out about "I Know" is the fact that it is produced very well and when the men sing in English it is very distinctive and you can understand every word. This is very impressive considering they flip back and forth between their home language and English.
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck of Adams offers up his best-listening bets as a regular contributor to iBerkshires. For more reviews, www.muzikreviews.com.
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| Genre: Reggae, R&B, hip hop Label: Ntice Mediaworks Web site Amazon Link Source Link |
