KOMPA! MAGAZINE

[menkonpa]

ONE OF THE BEST CDS PRODUCED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS

I don’t usually do album reviews, but last week, I stumbled upon this new band, by the name of KompaSoul. I bought their CD on itunes and I have been listening to it for the past week. This is an album everyone should hear. It’s not every day an album shakes me to the core. The review is rather long, but please enjoy it.

Peseverans
The CD starts with a bang! Need I say more. Very nice message in this song. You get a feeling from the get go that this will be a different vibe, this will not be something you have heard before. It sets the tone.
Now to the song itself. It is amazing. This old school feeling, with very powerful horns. This accord progression also invokes that old school, tight, Tropicana/Magnum Band. There is even jazz introduced at the first bridge. Smooth stuff. The song comes back with a more konpa direct/Nu Look/Disip style. But man these horns do sound good and the bass too. The System Band guitar comes in and takes it to a new level right there, a level the song had not reached since the first two verses. From there, the song continues strong, so strong. Pike devan.

Ko w’ sou ko m’
Song starts with this virtuoso sax, reminds you a little of a Belo sax in his Referans album. I love the raspy of the singer on this track, full of emotion. This song can be best described as a blend of a KDans song, mixed with a Mizik Mizik style and a Kompa Kreyol arrangement. Again KompaSoul takes all the right risks. Imagine Gazzman singing this song, chills all over. The bridges are seamless and full of soul, full of jazz, very anthemic chord progressions. The choruses are on point. Very nicely produced song.

Zonbi Lanmou
The lyrics are very well written on this track, very melodious. The way the song starts tells you it will be something amazing. The message is nice. This song reminds you more of the band Toxic. Again the sax is such an amazing addition to the bridge. The bass on this song is a song in itself. I really like the interplay between the guitar and the bass player on this song, reminds you of that old Carimi guitar player/bass player combo on songs like Player. Good times. Another very well produced, sung and arranged song.

Tu l’aimes encore
The raspy voice singer comes back. You know how Arly is so good at these English choruses, this is how KompaSoul is good at a long French chorus. These guys are bridge-kings. I love how they have the melodies and sounds coincide, how the sound the music plays the melodies the voice sing a little later. The duality of it is awesome. This song has this old-school style, and the bass takes it very far on this one, very high. The trumpet comes in and gives you this timole style. You even get Coupe Cloue at the end. Just amazing stuff! No monotony, just pure fun. On this song, m bay KompaSoul legen!

No rules
I like how the song starts. It’s like I don’t care but I am going to blow your mind. Lady sings very well. I love it again how the guitar and singing are hitting the same notes, very original. Many times, a guitar accompanies the voices playing different notes, but why not play the same notes. And it happens again how the keyboard solo is introduced by humming of the same notes of the solo. This is one of my favorite songs on this CD, because it doesn’t follow any rules. It lives up to its name 100%. Very danceable. The choruses are so good on this song. This keyboard solo!

Pirana
The title of this song is just something else. The band takes off on this song, the message is clear. Don’t trust people 100%, be careful. The guitar takes off and doesn’t hold back. Believe it or not, this song is closer in style to a Tabou Combo style than a Nu Look or even Djakout style, especially starting at 2 minutes in. Very Shoubou-like, just imagine Shoubou singing that part, as he does in “Gad etaw” from Tabou’s CD. At 3:55, the song goes raboday, making Djakout proud here! “Pirana, ou gen pou manje pwop pitit ou” When you think they go raboday, you’d think they wouldn’t carefully finish the song. They finish it on a twirling note change! Amazing!

Rien que nous 2
Rien que nous 2 sounds very nice to my ears. It has a zouk fused to RnB but remains with this local feeling. Very melodious, no gimmicks, stays in its elements. The bridge is amazing. I like how they experiment with new sounds. Reminds me of what Zekle used to do. Nothing seems to repeat itself, even the keyboard solo has enough variations to continue for over a minute.
Funny thing is after listening to the whole CD, RQN2 may be one of the less great songs on this album. Although it was released as their second single.

Restes la
Intro is very nice. This is a very nice slow dance song, but compared to the rest of the CD, this song is less appealing, though the lyrics are well written. It treats a very familiar love topic. It has a very Harmonick feel to it, but with a very nice guitar solo. I love how KompaSoul experiments with different sounds on this song, like at 2min 42s. They play by no rules. Tout moun konnen m’se yon neg ki pa manje anyen fret.

You still on my mind
This song would make Arly Lariviere proud. You can feel the Nu Look in here. Not only the style, the chords, but also the topic. Sadness, loneliness, nostalgia. Bread and butter of the maestro, king lan. Again, very well sung, emotional. Well done on this one.

Manje pou 2
Okay, this song I have no words for. From the beginning of this mambo style, it tells you “okay let’s go on this ride, be patient”. Then at 45 seconds, it goes nuts. Ou met met siwo nan bouch li, li pap janm ba ou verite. This song is nonstop pike devan, just fire. « Mpa bezwen fanm kolokent » This little part fits so well. I can imagine a video of this part with Tonton Bicha singing. I love the feeling of this song. Kolonn konpa. The guitar groove comes in and Roberto Martino the beejezus out of the song.

Pouki se mwen
This is a KDans feeling pure and simple. Jude Jean would be proud of this song, especially from the NouPaNomal album. Glenny Benoit did his thing on this album, so did the guitar player on this song. The POUKI SE MWEN hook is catchy. This is probably the most commercial song on the album. They take less arrangement risks with this last one, with reason. After listening to the previous songs, your heart needs a break.


Okay, this is the end of my review. What can I say? KompaSoul has just blown up, they have produced what may be the best CD of this year, or even last year. This band sounds so mature, in their sound, their texts, their lyrics, everything. Yo fet tou gramoun. They sound refreshing. So refreshing. This CD is nearly perfect. The only downsides of the CD are that there are only three uptempo songs on the CD, and that there are too many love songs. I urge KompaSoul to start thinking about other subjects, they don’t have to be serious ones (For example, talk about vacation, the beach, or even serious ones, like making good use of money, friendships). The last little caveat with this CD is that it is not as commercial to be easily digestable, for the reasons that KompaSoul doesn’t play by any rules.
I am very much a fan of KompaSoul. I hope you guys stick around, get good contracts, management, exposure, because you are the real deal.
Potential hits on this CD: Ko w’ Sou Ko m’, No Rules
Weakest song on the CD: Pouki Se Mwen (doesn’t seem needed)

[b-ray]

PATIZAN MWEN FE W KONFYANS NAN MUZIK LA, ALORS MAP PRAN ALBUM PAM NAN ET TRES BON REVIEW.
NEW BAND SA YO RAPLE M KE PLUGG/BABY JAZZ SUPPOSER FE YON GESTE MEME POU L'HISTWA.
AIGAIN ANKO CONGRAT MENKONPA

[wpozit]

Mwen tap pral fè yon analiz de albòm nan, men ou fè l trè byen e mwen panse ou rann omaj ak travay KS nan albòm nan. Wow! I was sold just after listening to the a capella part in Pèseverans. And went ahead and bought the album. Mwen swete mwen te ka ret tann CD a pito pou m te ka wè kolaborasyon ak kredi yo, men mwen pat kapab ret tann pou m antre ladan l. What a ride it was and is! Sa fèm yon mwa depi map tande san rete. Fanatik konpa ki gen lontan kap plenyen pou yon lòt bagay nan konpa, pa menm fin li sa map ekri a, al pran kopi w la. This is to be treasured. KompaSoul sonnen jouk nan nanm mwen. No Rules resets the rules in a big way.