[Critique] “SoulKreol, vol. 1. Roots/Racines”, Senaya

Long after a first album released in 2005, singer-songwriter Senaya emerges from the studio with nine uneven songs, but above all with her voice intact — that dazzling timbre, that agile singing imbued with jazz and soul that reminds us of that of Diana Tell. SoulKreol, vol. 1 begins on a perfect note: Alé (Voyé Limyè), its strong theme, the violin that responds to the vocals, the orchestrations of synths, a simple bass line pushing forward a rhythm that looks like house but which refers to gwo ka, a popular genre from the country of its roots, Guadeloupe. We would have taken a whole album around this musical idea, which reflects with the same relevance at the end of the album, on See-Line Woman. However, Senaya rather offers his vision of a mixed pop-soul, unfortunately frozen by outdated orchestrations: if Afro-funk Ouvé Chimen Bondyethe hatched rhythm ofWe are together and the ballad set with kora De Moun Ki Eme Yo fly, the blues-gospel ballad I Pray (Time Is Coming) seems irrelevant to us, and the pop-funk Aduna Gneupakobok rather bland.

SoulKreol,

★★ 1/2

Drunk

Senaya, African Nights Records

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