Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
With a beautiful voice enhanced by overdubbing techniques, Somi joins the elite ranks of first-class world music jazz-influenced singers with this, her third CD. Joined by the likes of the fabulous electric and acoustic keyboardist Toru Dodo, among others, Somi employs an ethereal, surreal, distanced sound, coupled with earthiness and village ceremonial elements to create soulful tunes that by some standards approach pop music, and in other instances, pure romantic spirit songs. Most of the lyrics are in English (she was born in Illinois) and enunciated well, and embrace themes of home, the great outdoors, love, longing, belonging, and wistfully wondering why. But the underlying theme of Africa (her parents were from Rwanda and Uganda, and they lived in Zambia) is present in this music that borders on nu jazz, while employing an instrumental background of uptown metropolitan contemporary styles. Trumpeter Hugh Masakela is one of many guests, feeding Somi's repeated lyric lines during the low-key "Enganjyani," and guitarist David Gilmore works into the mix on the harder samba beat of "Rising," while the creative progressive plectrist Liberty Ellman tones down the light and airy "Changing Inspiration." Nigerian bassist and producer Michael Olatuja is the biggest influence alongside the virtuosic Dodo in shaping Somi's themes, whether on the sweet "Hot Blue" in 6/8 time, the Afro-pop-styled "Wallflower Blues" in a feature for the excellent Senegalese guitarist Hervé Samb, or the rain forest love song title track. A midtempo yodel-based tune, "Kuzunguka" showcases the nature girl in Somi, "Be Careful, Be Kind" is a pretty, introspective ballad, while "Prayer to the Saint of the Brokenhearted" is not so much an African blues as a faster-paced highlife plea loaded with percussion-driven beats. Alicia Olatuja and David Hunter overdub several vocal tracks alongside Somi, who also sings in Swahili and the Ugandan Rutooro dialect of her mother. This completely charming program of songs -- recorded in Paris -- is impossible to put in a specific category. It is heartfelt, conversely deep and light, and attractive in a way that Dido or Rhianna can kill softly with a smile or a whisper, yet Somi chooses to sing simply with little pretense or need for pyrotechnic affectation.
© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, Composer, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Nathaniel Townsley, MainArtist - Olatuja Music, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, Composer, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, MainArtist - Julien Machet, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Olatuja Music, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Liberty Ellman, Composer - Michael Olatuja, Composer, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Olatuja Music, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Substance Theory, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, Composer, MainArtist - Michele Locatelli, Composer, MainArtist - Nathaniel Townsley, MainArtist - Editions ObliqMusic, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Hugh Masekela, MainArtist - Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - David Gilmore, Composer, MainArtist - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Michele Locatelli, Composer - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - David Hunter, MainArtist - Editions ObliqMusic, MusicPublisher - Kashka Music, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Nathanial Townsley, MainArtist
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, Composer, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Nathaniel Townsley, MainArtist - Olatuja Music, MusicPublisher - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Liberty Ellman, Composer, MainArtist - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Julien Machet, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Substance Theory, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Liberty Ellman, Composer - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, Composer, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Substance Theory, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Herve Samb, Composer, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - David Hunter, MainArtist - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Herve Samb Music, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, Composer, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, Composer, MainArtist - Nathaniel Townsley, MainArtist - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Herve Samb Music, MusicPublisher - TORUDODO Music, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Somi, Composer, MainArtist, ScreenplayAuthor - Michael Olatuja, MainArtist - Alicia Olatuja, MainArtist - Madou Kone, MainArtist - Herve Samb, Composer, MainArtist - Toru Dodo, MainArtist - Nathaniel Townsley, MainArtist - Lullabies of the Sun, MusicPublisher - Herve Samb Music, MusicPublisher
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Album review
With a beautiful voice enhanced by overdubbing techniques, Somi joins the elite ranks of first-class world music jazz-influenced singers with this, her third CD. Joined by the likes of the fabulous electric and acoustic keyboardist Toru Dodo, among others, Somi employs an ethereal, surreal, distanced sound, coupled with earthiness and village ceremonial elements to create soulful tunes that by some standards approach pop music, and in other instances, pure romantic spirit songs. Most of the lyrics are in English (she was born in Illinois) and enunciated well, and embrace themes of home, the great outdoors, love, longing, belonging, and wistfully wondering why. But the underlying theme of Africa (her parents were from Rwanda and Uganda, and they lived in Zambia) is present in this music that borders on nu jazz, while employing an instrumental background of uptown metropolitan contemporary styles. Trumpeter Hugh Masakela is one of many guests, feeding Somi's repeated lyric lines during the low-key "Enganjyani," and guitarist David Gilmore works into the mix on the harder samba beat of "Rising," while the creative progressive plectrist Liberty Ellman tones down the light and airy "Changing Inspiration." Nigerian bassist and producer Michael Olatuja is the biggest influence alongside the virtuosic Dodo in shaping Somi's themes, whether on the sweet "Hot Blue" in 6/8 time, the Afro-pop-styled "Wallflower Blues" in a feature for the excellent Senegalese guitarist Hervé Samb, or the rain forest love song title track. A midtempo yodel-based tune, "Kuzunguka" showcases the nature girl in Somi, "Be Careful, Be Kind" is a pretty, introspective ballad, while "Prayer to the Saint of the Brokenhearted" is not so much an African blues as a faster-paced highlife plea loaded with percussion-driven beats. Alicia Olatuja and David Hunter overdub several vocal tracks alongside Somi, who also sings in Swahili and the Ugandan Rutooro dialect of her mother. This completely charming program of songs -- recorded in Paris -- is impossible to put in a specific category. It is heartfelt, conversely deep and light, and attractive in a way that Dido or Rhianna can kill softly with a smile or a whisper, yet Somi chooses to sing simply with little pretense or need for pyrotechnic affectation.
© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:50:42
- Main artists: Somi
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: ObliqSound
- Genre: World
(C) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH (P) 2009 ObliqSound GmbH
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.