Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are one of the best and most creative African bands of what we have been of the century. Radio Salone is nothing more than the confirmation that this group, formed as a result of the drama, has become a true band that represents that light, that optimism and that vital philosophy inherent to the African people that Western people lack.
Formed in 1997 in the Kalia refugee camp in Guinea-Conakri, with guitars donated by a Canadian association, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars is a moving story from the beginning. The band began, under the baton of Reuben M. Koroma and Francis John Langba (to whom they dedicate this last album) as a way of delivering a small hope to the people fleeing the ruthless civil war of their country. So the group means hope, but also fun and musical freshness.
His previous work, Rise & Shine (Cumbancha, 2010) was already a work that knew how to combine, as few, the sounds of West Africa with reggae. With this third album, they mature, strengthen and explore that musical proposal as never before. Their casual encounter as refugees, initially, led to the sound suitcases carried by each member were very different, which makes the sound of the band so be. Hence, soukous (African rumba), soul, maringa and the typical African polyrhythmia, are naturally, fluid and prodigious with dub or classic reggae.
On Radio Salone they sing in krio (Salone refers to Sierra Leone in their mother tongue) among other languages and, to finish seducing us, they pay homage to the radio, which they say was their connection to the musical world in the pre-era Internet. Thanks to all that, a concoction that tastes like soukous, dub or reggae destined for dancing has emerged, just as the sounds of the Sierra Leone waves were in the 1970s.
If the strictly musical assumes that we are facing one of the albums of the year 2012, exactly the same happens at the production level. Radio Salone was recorded in Brooklyn under the production of Victor Axelrod, also known as Ticklah (responsible for the sound of artists such as Amy Winehouse or Easy Star All Stars), with a 16-track analog equipment and special microphones from the 70's, which they did not close during the recording sessions, thus inviting listeners to join the creative journey that those days involved.
So ... close the internet, turn on the radio ... and enjoy these wonderful people.
Tracks list:
01. Chant it Down
02. Gbara Case
03. Mother In Law
04. Goombay Interlude: Rain Come Sun Come
05. Reggae Sounds The Message
06. Mampama
07. Kali
08. Goombay Interlude: Papa Franco
09. Man Muyu
10. Toman Teti M´Ba Akala
11. Big Fat Dog
12. Goombay Interlude: Shake Your Body
13. Yesu Gorbu
14. Work It Brighter
15. Remake The World Again
16. Goombay Interlude: A´Salamaleichem
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