I really don’t know why it has taken me this long to write about this incredible EP, apart from my busy schedule. But I’ve managed and got to work on my keyboard to give you a glimpse of my thoughts about afro-jazz artist Adomaa’s latest release.
The 6-track EP is a compilation of awesome tunes from the artist’s first original music compositions. Adomaa has described the EP as a ‘very personal’ project and as it were it gives a deep perspective to who she is, her character, fears, challenges, social life, her faith and view of life.
Adomaa made her name as an artist first by releasing mash-ups and covering music from various artists, which in turn made her an internet sensation in Ghana until she decided it was time she worked on her own original music. I have to state here that she is one powerful artist and her journey has just begun. Adomaa sought the help of artists such as Akosua Hanson, Maame Dokono, Nana Asaase, Kyekyeku, Robin Huws and Antoine Mensah. She takes the form of a butterfly as she sings of her freedom as an artist. ‘Traffic Jam’ was the artist’s first release and also part of the EP makeup. The song is all about fun, she acknowledges that life is too short and how we can appreciate the simple things in life the lyrics accompany a percussion-filled instrumental to produce a dance tune with a jazzy feel.
Adomaa gives her personal perspective on faith in ‘Born Again’ a song that speaks of how much she has been criticized for opting to do secular music instead of gospel music since she is a daughter of a top clergy in Ghana. Adomaa spares some time to respond to her critics, she says she is an artist expressing herself not a representation of any religion but at the same time affirming her spirituality. In the song her father Bishop George Adjeman encourages her to push on with her dream and ignore detractors.
The artist put on a lot of effort in this project and as it were, one needs sometime to play this is where songs such as ‘Shii The Song’ come in more of an experimental piece, the song relies heavily on the strings, Robin Huws and Adomaa workout a perfectly blended melodious tune, which despite having ‘play’ in it, brings out a powerful piece that speaks about the imperfections in life.
‘Tempo’ is a mid-tempo track, in between western pop and rock and bears heavy messages on socio-political issues. The energy in the track helps her effectively addresses issues of corruption, political injustices, inequality and the state of her motherland’s economy. ‘Afraba’ is a song that is more of an introduction of who Adomaa is, the poetry therein speaks of a butterfly that has left her cocoon which is a metaphorical representation of the singer.
The EP takes us through a journey of ‘Hollow Spaces’ with a classical-opera touch as Adomaa’s voice leaves a chilling effect in your ear, the record climaxes to a powerful cinematic experience, you can’t doubt the singer’s talent at this point. Afraba, The EP was produced by Reynolds Addow aka The Gentleman. Live instrumentation was done by Fra.
Adomaa was born to Nigerian and Ghanian parents her impact as a musician has been felt far across the globe and proven to many of how much fun and incredible music the young generation in Ghana has to offer