Forget the introduction
No lead-in is necessary.
An excess of time shall not be wasted on the written word (at the moment). The author would much rather proceed directly to the music. Bless the almighty for both Fridays and funana; which is exactly the type of song Edyl0x shared earlier today. Accordion is the track's centerpiece. In revisiting the Kanga Boiyz name, the tempo is fast enough to be considered a Triple Crown favorite. In addition to the very percussive bass and compressed snare, a more acoustic version of the drum is heard as well. A shaker syncopates/ By and large, the song is standard fare; nstrumentation typical and a guilty pleasure is fulfilled within five minutes.
But in the words of Billy Mays, "There's more!"
After all, the title, which reads "Bouyon vs Funana," is made of of two parts. But even more important is that the first half makes all the difference in the world. Edyl0x is listed on his SoundCloud as hailing from both Portugal and France, after all. And while the lusophone influence has often been heard on these pages, the same cannot be said for the French culture. This, if nothing else, is the void filled by "bouyon."
Located in the Eastern portion of the Caribbean sea - part of the Lesser Antilles/West Indies, to be specific - are two of the five islands that make up France's collection of "overseas departments;" if nothing else, a lovely euphemism for the American government's "territorial possessions." Guadaloupe is the larger of the two sea-rocks. Coincidentally, Guadeloupe is also where "bouyon" comes from. As a style of music, the frenetic pace is reminiscent of soca while the delivery shows roots calypso and some dancehall. So while far from an expert, the author is willing to semi-blindly vouch for the style. A quick, arbitrary YouTube search has yielded positive and infectious results.
Now back to the regularly scheduled programming.
A closer listen to the Edyl0x beat reveals a subtle shift between two different rhythms for the first minute of his song. Examine the more frequent kick drum during the 0:23 - 0:33 stretch, indicating funana. The 0:34-0:40, in contrast, changes the beat and brings some hi-hat into the fold. After a couple of switches back and forth a shaker begins to syncopate. Once the accordion phrasing changes, a verse is dedicated to each style. Afterwards, the song returns to the head with the switching beats.
Although still in the realm of niche interest, a download is highly recommended. If nothing else, however, an Edyl0x deserves an undue amount of credit for the sheer creativity put into the ensuing combination
Notable Mention: Randy Valentine - "Black Cinderella"
The second selection also happens to come from the Western Hemisphere, albeit slightly northwest in the Caribbean ocean.
The second leak from the upcoming extended play Still Pushing is a rootsy romance song titled "Black Cinderella." Coming off the heals of "Wake the Town," Valentine steps back from the rap delivery, towards his immaculate singing voice. Of immediate note is the enormous size that demands attention. More over, the enunciation is clean and the vibrato is tender like Jimmy Cliff. Echoey dub effects only add to the overall feel. In addition to giving a new image to the traditionally caucasian fairy tale character, the overall concept of a woman is presented differently. The female is more than a damsel in distress No slack is heard. Instead, a woman is credited for keeping the entire operation together.
Musically, the track is equally as elegant; drummer bass, chickenscratch guitar, backing vocals. Additional percussion is heard. The sound of organ is used in assistant and a jazzy piano briefly makes an appearance.
But simply put, the song is very good.
- J.N.
A Noggle Brain Trust, LLP. website
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