ALBUM DESCRIPTION

**ABOUT THE ALBUM / ARTIST**

Within the first eight measures of "Out of Africa," it was clear to me that Feladay would quickly become my favorite African Gospel artist. With clean production and a sound that would easily rival any recording artist in the secular Soukous genre, this Nigerian based artist and company are sure to become a household name among world music aficionados. On this unique recording, Feladay & Friends unite to play upbeat, melody driven music utilizing Gospel and African based rhythms.

**SONG BY SONG DESCRIPTION**

The Soukous (Lingala) guitar roams free on the first track as Feladay sings sweet English vocals over clever chord changes. The instrumental sections include a talking drum that would make King Sunny Ade proud. It is said that in the days of old, Africans would communicate with neighboring tribes through the polyphonic sounds of the talking drum. Now Feladay is using these sounds to communicate with all nations that God is worthy of praise. This praise and worship medley aptly titled "Lift Him up (Higher)," does just that, inserting a clever key change that rises the whole song up to another plateau.

The Soukous continues on "Messiah," with layered guitar parts influenced by Zairian greats such as the Soukous Stars, Zaiko Langa-Langa, Kass Kass, and Aurlos Mabele with Loketo. The vocals echo that Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah over a driving beat similar to a standard dancehall reggae mix.

The guitar licks and talking drums continue to abound on the "All Glory to God-Medley." The vocals and keyboard pads are distinctly American, but the drum and bass set a reggae foundation with the keyboard rhythm completing this Caribbean influenced track.

The beginning of "Rock of Ages" slows the pace for a moment until the chorus with a Soukous/Reggae rhythm hits hard. You may know the words to this song, but you have never heard it done in such a creative style before. In the instrumental break-down they even get the talking drum to beat out the melody IN KEY--Amazing! If you are a guitarist and want to learn some new playing techniques, this is the album for you. This is one of the many reasons why Paul Simon decided to record his "Graceland" album in Africa.

"Take My hand Precious Lord" is yet another praise and worship classic done with a clever African twist to it. With a soft reggae chank on the two and four, and a decidedly American sounding vocal delivery, this song is a clever union of cultures and sounds. But just when you think it is starting to sound a little too Western, the song transitions into a bridge that takes you straight to Nigeria and back.

A wicked percussion section starts off the confusing "Happy Day." Yet another standard done in a most unusual style. Eliminate all preconceived notions that you may have when you hear the title. Though the singing is reminiscent of the original, that is where the similarities end. The distinct cadence of African beats and roaming guitars create a unique contrast with the Gospel vocals.

Regrettably, with each song it seems that we are getting further from Africa. "Crucified with Christ" is another Gospel sounding song with subtle African and Reggae influences. If Kirk Franklin was born in Lagos, Nigeria, he would have recorded songs like this. This powerful message is relevant to all believers--"Crucified with Christ / never the less I live / yet not I / Christ liveth in me." The next tracks, "Holy Spirit" and "King of Kings" continue the aforementioned musical movement with Western Gospel/R&B and Hip Hop influences. These songs make me wonder if they should change the album title from "Out of Africa" to "Out of America- and into Africa." Don't get me wrong, these are all great songs, but they are just not what I would expect from an album with this title. This is just another example of the overwhelming presence of American musical influences in the Nigerian church and record industry.

**CONCLUSION**

Overall, "Out of Africa" is a top-notch production with great vocals, and instrumentation. While the latter portion of the recording threw this authentic African music stickler for a loop, all of the songs are well written and performed. At its foundation this project is a praise and worship album that is sure to please African, Reggae, Praise & Worship and R&B lovers alike. It is clear why they chose this specific song order, placing the strongest songs first. Regardless, it is my opinion that Feladay is the strongest gospel artist that has come out of Africa to date. His amazing soukous rhythms and vocal melodies make this album a "Must Buy" for all world music lovers. There is nothing else like it in the Christian music market today.