Reviews (page 4 of 7)
happy
Good vibes
Summer music
capas fodas. é interessante, mas num eh mto pra mim nao! dito isso, o mano tem várias acusação e processo nas costas O CARA SEQUESTROU EX DANÇARINAS TÁ LIGADO que doideira
Fun tunes, unfortunately he sounds like a generally bad person.
Groovy, but I don't have the energy to groove for a full hour. 3/5
It's decent music, but it may have been cheapened by imitators of this style in pop culture.
It's a vibe and a vibe that I enjoyed on the whole. Nice to have something different on this list. Reckon it would have sounded way better without the very dated 90s (80s in the DRC) production which makes every song sound like a scene in a now problematic Hollywood film probably starring John Candy and Arsenio Hall. Would enjoy this on West Holts in the sunshine whilst drinking away a hangover and whiteboy swaying around a bit Standouts: Hard to say haha Low Points: It's a bit samey and too long but enough about Lloydie
Upbeat. Happy. Holiday vibes if you’re British. Made me want to dance like Paul Pogba.
Meh. Sounds like he's not a particularly admirable person. If I try to ignore the person behind the music, it's fine. It's the kind of thing I'd expect from Congolese music, for the most part. Desespoir sounds oddly like an 80's ballad. And it's odd to see Koffi dressed like MC Hammer on the cover.
Decent Caribbean sound
A little more latin sounding than I expected, but solid non-the-less. 3/5
Pretty funky. Reading his bio made me sad and unfortunately you can't unread these things. I'm glad the music brought me some joy before I read it though.
Nice, but what makes it special?
Pretty fun vibes. Had a lot of Latin feel to it.
Pleasant enough, but didn’t leave much of an impression on me.
I don't think that I have the knowledge of African pop music (or more specifically of Congolese Rhumba, per Wikipedia) to make any sort of informed pronouncements about its aesthetics. That said, there is plenty to like here on the most elemental level. To start with, Olomide has a beautiful voice that slyly hides an impressive range. Like much African music (particularly the music I tend to associate with Senegal), the songs coast upon bouncy and exuberant arpeggios that bed you to dance, or hop, or bob your head. After a while, the language barrier does become an issue, and a sense of monotony sets it -- a charming and fun monotony, but monotonous nonetheless, leaving you very aware that you may be missing something vital within each song's lyrics. I don't foresee myself returning to this album, but I'm glad for the chance to have heard it. 3.5/5
This definitely wasn't unpleasant, but as an album it's a bit long and even though the songs are distinct it does start to blend.
Paar echt coole nummers, maar ook veel hetzelfde.
An interesting album, I liked Désepoir the most.
3.5
This was nice enough, but then I read his wiki page.... Yikes.
I had never heard the album nor of the performer before. It made for a pleasant Sunday afternoon of playing backpack hero
very happy record, and i feel like i am at a beach. i dont understand the lyrics so that makes it difficult for me to really get into it, but still, i enjoyed listening to it, and saved one song. also i like hov much it makes you want to jump
Good rumba music
Ensi tahtien jälkeen yllätyin positiivisesti. Levy tuli lähes kokonaan kuunneltua pyöräillessä ja kieltämättä soundit kärsi aika pahasti, mutta seuraavana päivänä paremmilla kuulokkeilla pääsi kaikista soundeista perille. Yläkanttiin 3*.
Letkeä ja hyväntuulinen
African music on the soft side. Nice but it got dull after three songs.
Good exposure to music from Congo, though it all kinda had the same vibe the whole album. It was pretty good, feel good vibes
I have been listening to this kind of music for years, it always puts me in a good mood. I didn't really know Koffi Olomide's work, but I enjoyed this album
Representative but not necessarily special to my ears. First half fares better. Elixir is my high point. Ultimately an album that will definitely up your spirits.
I honestly don't understand what makes this album one of only 1001 albums I must listen to. I understand it is from a different country and cultural background from mine, and that it is likely important to that culture - and I 100% respect that. However, I found it to just be fine, not as impressive even as other things I've heard from other artists doing similar music. It was smooth enough and easy enough to listen to, but I just was never really impressed or found any part of it to grab me at all. I'd probably give it 2.5 stars, but I just feel I have to round up, as it definitely wasn't bad, and I didn't hate listening to it.
Pretty listenable.
May need another couple listens to develop a strong opinion. At first pass I can say it was very pleasant.
AHHHH, ÇAAA C’EST BON ÇAAA Loved the common themes/intros between the songs. That super compressed guitar sound is cool. Whoever produced this did an amazing job. So many variations on percussion. Conte de fées was my favorite cut on the album - its basically two songs. As a fairly decent French speaker, I can barely understand Congo French. This is a whole different language it feels like.
it was fine, it was just a lot of a style of music i’d never choose listen to
Feels like I'm on vacation. Sadly, I'm not.
pretty good
This was pleasant and cool. Liked it.
I love listening to things like this on a sunny day. Perfect vibes. Great composition and instrument combinations. Highlights: Papa bonheur Élixir Obrigado
Congolese music is always evolving micro genres and trends, even if the distinctions can be pretty subtle. This is light and airy soukous, it has the verse/chorus/dance structure and the distinctive non-stop guitar arpeggio attack driving it on and a very busy percussion section, but it's slowed down a tad and much more romantic than most dancefloor pumping soukous. His voice is well suited to this, a smooth baritone that patiently delivers the lyrics with whispered glissando flair. The intro of keyboard synth sounds in this era saved band leaders the cost of a full horn section, made touring easier,.and brought in a bunch of novel sounds, but it makes everything sound so awfully smooth and incredibly cheap cheesy and dated. Its dance music that confirms to genre conventions so dancers know the moves, which gives it a somewhat, well, generic feel, especially from afar.
Another that's not for me.
I may be listening to Chappell Roan too much, as I kept thinking when reading the album title "... you can take me Haut de Gamme!" Does that even make sense? I don't speak French. When I'm not thinking about modern pop stars, this music is pretty nice to listen to.
When I say Poussez, you say poussa! Poussez! Nolan: poussa! Surprisingly good groove. Désespoir is an early favorite and hella fun song with like 3 musical twists and turns. Saved 1 song and didn’t hate the entire album and that’s all you can really ask for an album in a completely different language
I'm probably not the person to rate this stuff. It kind of felt generic, but I also don't speak French or have a wealth of experience with African music. Overall, it was fine. It was groovy. Felt like I was at the beach. Probably won't ever revisit.
Seemed a little dated and like something you might hear at a restaurant. It's ok.
There were definitely sounds of the early 90s present here… now I know where those 7-Up commercials got their inspiration. Reading more about this guy on Wikipedia, the catchy fun darkened quite a bit. *sigh*
oh man this sample library is pretty low fidelity, which makes me think I'm in for a ride on the cheese express. the bass tone is great though. Desepoir has a pretty cool intro. There is this infectious drive to it, which is nice. oh but the CHEEEEEEESSSSSEEEE sounds. lord save us.
Very groovy and very diverse. Really enjoyed it, even if it isn’t my cup of tea completely.
It's never a bad time to be exposed to more world music, and this was pretty pleasant
if you listen closely enough you can hear how pieces of this music influenced other artists from all over the globe today (of course, because of the obvious rumba influence Stromae comes to mind, but maybe I'm crazy but I can hear bits of this trickling down into amapiano too). Shame you don't have listen as hard to hear how boring the songs can get and the worst parts of 90s R&B production creeping in around the edges too.
Yikes, this guy was a sexual predator? What a POS. I will rate the album, though. Had I not know about his past, I would've thought this was created by a light-hearted joyous individual because that's what I get from the album. Oof. Still, I don't think this a must listen before you die album. It's fine.
This was fine as background music. I enjoyed it. 3.5
Pops with island vibes Carefree and energetic Sand dancing awaits
fröhlich, melodisch - gute musik um in den zu tag starten.
This takes me right back to the days waiting in line on the subpar wooden stairs for that grand water slide, with island music playing over the speakers.
The only Congolese album on this list will likely elicit a smile if you've got a straw in something tropical while you listen.
刚果怎么一股印度味
What a welcome change! Fun, energetic music to dance to - lots of shades of Graceland here reflecting the influence of African music on Paul Simon... Hope this leads me to more finds of a similar ilk. For what it's looking to achieve 3.8.
Upee kansi. Hyvä rytmi läpi levyn, kantaa jopa koko tunnin! Toimi hyvin kävelymusiikkina, tunnelma piti otteessaan ja kappaleita muisti kuunnellakin, ne vaativat sitä vaikka tyylinsä mukaan olivat toisteisia. Ja pidin siitä, että tietyt elementit toistuivat biisistä toiseen (hokemat ainakin).
Levyn verrattain hidas mutta miellyttävä avautuminen enteilee hyvää käyttöarvoa. Parhaat biisit on tuntumani mukaan soviteltu alkupuoliskolle - kuinkas muuten - ja vaikka homma välillä "junnaa", yllätyksellisten käänteidenkin määrä on kunnioitettava.
Yes, an enjoyable upbeat Congolese Soukus album that is missing from my life. Just not something I feel like diving further into.
I have never heard music from Congo before. Good, upbeat rhythms, enjoyable fun music. Not sure I can say anything more about it, but I liked it.
Kinda sounds like coming 3 America, there’s better Koffi records
What is this. At first I thought this was going to be like a German dance pop album no one talks about. Instead it’s an album by a Congolese sex pest. The good, it’s kinda fun, kinda gross reading the comments from people who are like “teehee this is just for white people” like it seems like this is a pretty formative artist and album in the DRC. But whatever. I dunno man, it’s fine, I think I enjoyed reading about the history of Congolese music on Wikipedia more than I did listening to this album.
A fun and happy sounding album indeed. I enjoyed the african beats that encompasses the album but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed that there wasn't anything that might have added a bit more diversity of sounds among the production. Most of the album sounds the same even the lyrics are repeated multiple times but it was a nice listen anyway. Best - ??? Worse - nothing truly bad besides the songs sounding the same 2.75/5
Liked the past song.
3.2 - It was okay and some nice vocals, but sometimes felt like I was listening to Mario game. Parts also felt very repetitive and didn't progress. Overall, interested in seeing if more of this style will come up but wanted more from this honestly
This was nice background music, but didn't really grab me. I felt like it was musically too major. No tracks really stood out, but I'd happily passively listen to it again. Good to see this sort of representation in any case. 3.2/5
This would be great on a Caribbean beach, on a cruise ship, with mai tai’s and Hawaiian shirts in a casual setting. I can honestly say I enjoyed it. Great singer and interesting. However, many of the songs sounded the same to me. Not going to jump on to the daily playlist, but I’m glad I listened and know if him now.
It's a low 3 star. Enjoyed the music enough but not alot
Decent i guess I won’t hate. Probably won’t ever listen again no disprespect
Although a bit dated, it's upbeat and fun. Infectious rhythms and good guitar sound. Enjoyed it. 3.6
Mmm yes it chugs along pleasantly enough while working without every grabbing me, possibly because of the lyrics in French. At the edges some dated 80s synth textures, but on the whole a 3.
Ultra French Caribbean vibes
Some outstanding tracks.
Little mermaid soundtrack.
The first track was amazing and I couldn’t help smiling long broadly, tapping my feet, and just being in the world it created. Then the rest of the album passed by being ok enough, but not nearly as strong as the first track. Overall, it’s fine.
Nice summertime vibes. Strange contrast when you read what an awful human he is. 4 for the music, have to go minus 1 for the beatings and abuse though.
Hey I liked this! There was no particular standout track, but this is still a great musical discovery that made me tap my feet for an hour. I doubt I'd ever have stumbled upon Koffi Olomide if not for this project.
Didn't mind this, found my head bobbing along as I listened while I worked. I do love that African bubbling bass, tinkling guitar combo, and he does have a great voice. But he is not a great guy, judging by the Wikipedia entry. Qui Cherche Trouve probably my favourite track
Peppy. Lyrics were probably inspired.
Mixed bag.
Giving strong 'vacation montage in a 90's movie' vibes.
The main thing I got out of this album was either the (obvious when you think about it) debt that Caribbean music owes to African (Congolese specifically) or that , this artist, if he sang in Spanish, mightve been an equally big deal in Latin America as he was/is in Africa. I wish I spoke some French or any of the other languages he’s singing in to pick up those bits because I’m sure he’s got some lines. Think I caught some Portuguese in there too unless “Obrigado” means something in another language. This music is fun, absolutely not the style I listen to regularly, but it’s a good time. I wonder how much of the backing is programmed vs performed; I bet seeing a band perform this live would be cool. I put this on while working and it ultimately faded in to the background. Not necessarily a bad thing. Album cover is top shelf.
Maybe this can direct Bernie to a sunken treasure. Makes me want a dark and stormy with my feet up in the sunshine.
Listen im sure this artist is well regarded but it is a crime that not one King Sunny Ade album is on the list. (Check out Synchro System and/or Ase.) It was "nice".
It seems crazy to take a point off for an album being too joyful, but here we are. Overall, it was pretty nice, but the production seems pretty dated. This would be a much different record if someone went back and stripped it down and replaced the rhythm section parts with something more tolerable. Get rid of that annoying metallic ticky-tack drum line that is on every(?) track.
Love the music on this record. Singers vocals get terribly annoying after close to an hour, but the music itself it so warm and nice. I want to be on a beach drinking sweet treats with my toes in the sand listening to an instrumental of this record.
Definitely special, was quite enjoying it in the beginning but became a bit repetitive towards the end
mikä hinku näihin tunnin pituisiin albumeihin nyt on... meikällä kiire... ja tyrkytetään vouhotetaan.. vouhotus vouhotus.. kun ilmastokriisi olisi kerrassaan.. ihmetyttää vaan pikkasen, PIKKUSEN VERRAN OLEN PÄHKÄILLYT JOUTUMAAN. anteeksi jos ei sallittua.. mihin on hävinnyt vanha 44min 24 sek ryhmittely, oliko jotain vikaa vai.. jaano jos se rikki oli nii ei sit mitää.. sori en koskaan vittu avaa suutani kiitti vaa vitusti taas tästä... jujumusik hahahaahhahahahahah moooomaaah papa bonheur
Like it
Good music. Pleasing vocals along side good rhythm.
Cool vibe
A new album for me. Must be great to see in concert.
Cheerful album with interesting rhythms.
I have never heard of this artist, and was just relieved it was on streaming. Very enjoyable, kind of served as background music today while taking care of things around the house.
Wasn’t my favorite, wasn’t the worst I’ve heard. Mix of African, Island and French musics. A bit long and over synthesized for my tastes.
I enjoyed it. I don't speak French or Congolese or whatever, but the music was it enough to get me bopping a little bit. I don't have too much to say, because it was easy to space out during most of the songs withoutknowing words. That might be repetitive to some, but maybe it's a strength if you just needto work to something. At any rate, it was satisying. Reminded me a lot of the Nigerian highlife music my roommate Wood listen to. That probably means the lyrics were tragic even if the tempo was upbeat. I'm probably better off somehow having listened to Ndombolo. Thanks, Koffi, although it sounds like he could be a scumbag and kinda majorly "soukous". Final note, that second song started off like it was about to drop some heavily soulful R&B. Luther Vandross was featured for the first 30 seconds.
Groovy African music. Not something I'd seek out though, although the music itself was good.
Can't decide how I feel about this. The songs are super long, which can be good or bad depending on the song. The upbeat ones got me goin'. I added a couple to my cooking playlist. But as a whole it was meh.
Eh.. it’s a fun album but it gets very repetitive and monotonous to listen to. It’s meh.
I am conflicted: while I am always interested in how different peoples and cultures approach thought and expressive, I have made it a point to remember my Said, and interrogate my likes and dislikes for artists outside European/North American scenes. The difference, the novelty, is fine. Does it make me feel human, connected, in the world, or am I a tourist in these differing expression, reveling in some noxious notions of the exotic. Is there a tote bag? Do these Chakas communicate my love of "World Music"? Am I Paul Simon or Peter Gabriel in their colonial 80s period? Did I vote for Al Gore? What I can say about this album is the Olomide's voice is truly remarkable. Ambrosia in all registers. I really dig hearing the music of sung Congolese French; my other experiences of sung French are of the smoky, phlegmy, world-weary alcoholics of the Piaf, Brel and Gainsbourg type, who don't do breezy sunshine well cuz, well, death. What mars this album is the apparently world contemporaneous hermetically plinky piano sound, and the general production, suck the human spirit out of it in favor of nods to safe 80s-90s R&B tropes. When Olomide keeps it organic, it is stunning. If you like "SlowJam" sonics, you'll like this. If you regularly listen to NPR, you'll like this (and everybody around you at the wine tasting will have to because you are worldly or something). If you listen to this, hear the good things and want more, work backwards to get connected.
Bouncy fun stuff, but cheesy electronic drums and dated synths.
I enjoyed this.
Блин, ну чё та... мне кажется это тот кейс, когда можно было бы взять либо дико историческую запись какую-нибудь, либо что-то поновее, чтобы эту историю раскрыть с конголезской музыкой. На деле - ну блин, мы получили такооооооооой базовый альбом из 90х как будто бы, который будет играть у какого-нибудь африканского таксиста. Концепт приколен, история глубока, как обычно куча всяких переплетений и отсылок, но... не дожало чёт.
Brassy
That was fun, but I don't think it really stands out from your average African music.
gmüetlechs vivi album
nice background for work. Highly repetitive if you are paying attention.
- fun vibes
A few tracks were a little repetitive, but I expect the repetition would turn to enjoyment after a few more listens. I'm enjoying the instrumentation and the vocals.
Good!!
achei diferente
Passable background music
el congoooo
I enjoyed it for a couple songs, but I didn't have a full hour in me
Man, this sounded like a lot of fun. The breaking glass sounds effects off an old cheap keyboard sorta took me out of it a few times, but I gotta say, this felt more like the elements of Graceland in the ways it should have. Seems to be an interesting cat as well.
I like some songs on this, but the instrumentation gets a bit repetitive at times, and a lot of songs follow the same structural formula. This would probably be more enjoyable with some songs cut from the tracklist. It could also use a better album cover... Fav Tracks: Papa bonheur, Desespoir, Obrigado Least Fav Track: Porte-monnaie 5/10
Nice summer holiday vibes
sounded great. the song length was consistently longer than i would have liked, but that allowed for the songs to develop their grooves.
I liked how this was something different than most of the albums that we have received on this list. I did feel like everything went on for a little bit too long, but none of it was bad.
Hmmm I didn't dislike this but it's definitely exposing me as not knowing a lot to compare it to in order to help myself contextualize the songs. I really enjoyed Obrigado and saved that one.
The musical equivalent of a summer breeze. Joyful, easy listening. Bright guitars, cheesy MIDI synths and light, upbeat rhythms. This album cover is so tacky but I kind of love it.
I'm always super interested in rhythms in cultures outside of ones that I grew up with. Like South American, Indian, Eastern European, and African rhythms always sound so fun, interesting, and exciting to me. Right from the start this album has such an energetic rhythmic feel to it that I can't help but bop around in my chair while I'm sitting here at 7:55am on a Thursday morning. It's got me moving on a Thursday morning! I love the second track's intro with the super cheesy 1980's synth. Wow is that a crazy change of pace from the very analog / authentic sound of the first track. The SFX really stand out on this album too. Track 1 had a ringing phone and subsequent phone call, track 2 has glass breaking (? I need to figure out the context for this) and footsteps. I used to work with a lot of amazing African people. The job was really difficult but my coworkers made the day to day tolerable and dare I say enjoyable at times. The best times at that job were when I had down time and we were able to hang out and share cultural norms, like comparing the politics of Liberia to the US, and finding commonalities between Ghanaian and American food. These people were really lovely, loved to share, and loved to laugh (Live, Love, Laugh am i right). This album brought me back to that!
Lots of fun this album of afro-pop. Well recorded, sweet melodies, and danceable rhythms that keep everything bright and fun. The singing is accomplished and draws you in to the songs. I liked it a lot! 3.5 stars
Guy has a good voice and the music was pleasant enough. I just didn’t find anything remarkable about it.
Really loved the first few tunes. Kinda wanted to know what the lyrics were about after that. A nice break from the majority of mainstream albums on this list.
Well that was a bit of Congolese poppy fun.
Liked the first song and really wanted to love it, but it felt way too elevator 90s for the rest of it
Nice African music.
French. ,ot just French, also just not good
Terrible graphic design on this album cover. The music was OK. A bit cheesy and dated sounding in parts. The boo-say boo-sah phrase was used a lot throughout. What does it mean?
Fun music, my first fully foreign album on here
French Salsa, surprisingly good
It's crazy how it reeks of '90s cheese even as an ndombolo piece. Still, it's as groovy as African pop music can be.
I quite liked this! I think I'd like to give it 2.5
Soukous (ritmos africanos). Ni fu ni fa.
Not bad if I'm looking for relaxing beach vibes, but it does get old after a few songs. Also, I unfortunately have a guilty conscience after reading the Wiki because I don't exactly know how to "separate the art from the artist" when my opinion of the artist is already kinda meh to begin with.
Una altra aproximació d'Àfrica a la música occidental buscant la fusió de cultures. Des de l'oïda d'un europeu el resultat és prou efectiu; melodies que sonen llunyanes i properes a la vegada
Very happy sounding music.
A fun boppy little confection, and clearly the man can dress! Perhaps a bit featherweight but enjoyable and cheerful which I always think is worth at least a few stars.
it was ok. monotonous after a few songs, kinda all the same. maybe i'd have liked it more if i were in a different mood.
French language congolese music
Pretty disappointed not to receive the anticipated Dark Side Of The Moon or Appetite For Destruction as albums 1000 and 1001; received a message saying they've included LPs from all editions of the book, so another 100 albums (3 months) to go. Never heard of this, but it reminded me nicely of my In-Laws' Ghanaian Highlife music. Sunny and happy, but samey.
Very cool, like not much I had ever heard before, and apparently the only Congolese album on the list. A worthy inclusion, if only to raise the profile of the music of sub-saharan Africa.
somewhat kitschy party head bobbing ethnic Congolese music. feels like a tropical salsa mix with a more happy go lucky air. I gotta say some of these songs feel copy-pasted though. also noting that the artist has some pretty crass behavioral issues... 3.5/5
This is a really fantastic sound Not sure it needed to be this long but I enjoyed it
Interessanter sound, ganz cool, aber nichts was ich oft hören würde
Реге звук, интересано, али није мој жанр. Мислим могао бих да слушам у позадини вероватно. 6/10
Pleasant and sunny but kind of all blurred in to one. Not sure why it is on this list tbh
3.5
-feels like a product of its time (not a bad thing) -nothing that really grabs me and makes me want to listen again -may have been a stylistic game changer/influencer at the time -may have been more meaningful if I spoke French
Production is pretty good. Although the beats/melodies are a little samey it is still pretty enjoyable. I don't understand a word, but the vibes are chill so it is easy to listen to.
I don't really know what to think about this album. There's no Wikipedia page for the album to give it context, and I know very little about Congolese music. Given that, it's hard to know how to judge it. It's pleasant music to listen to, but I don't understand its significance. That's too bad, because I've enjoyed all of the African music that I've gotten previously on this list. Ultimately, I think this was okay, but it didn't seem revolutionary in the way that music like Songhoy Blues or Fela Kuti did 3/5
French Caribbean. Fine and pleasant 3/5
Nice, but a bit generic.
A breath of fresh air honestly when i separate the art from the artist. High 3
This album sort of feels like the opening soundtrack to a movie about a down-on-his-luck, but peppy and ambitious city boy. That opinion would maybe change if I understood any of the lyrics…
The best thing to come out of the Congo. 3.5
It was aight but I can’t get into foreign music unless instrumentals crazy
Ik vond het niet zo speciaal. Ik had de Afrikaanse muziek meer uitgesproken verwacht, maar het klonk heel erg pop. En de muziek is wat gedateerd
When I first stumbled upon "Haut de gamme / Koweït" by Koffi Olomide, I was thrilled to immerse myself in the captivating world of Soukous music. However, this experience was tinged with a certain discomfort due to my awareness of the controversies surrounding the artist. Soukous music is undeniably infectious, with its upbeat rhythms and catchy melodies that beckon you to dance. It embodies an essential part of African musical culture. Nevertheless, while listening to Koffi Olomide, I couldn't help but think about the troubles that have marred his career. Koffi Olomide is undoubtedly a talented artist, but his legal issues and controversial actions cannot be overlooked. They cast a shadow over the music he creates, making it challenging to separate the artist from his art. In essence, "Haut de gamme / Koweït" is an incredible Soukous album, but it's hard to fully appreciate it while being aware of the artist's troubled history. Soukous music deserves celebration, but it's crucial to reflect on the complexity of the individual behind it.
Very high tempo and a lot of fun, couldn't say I'd seek it out again. 3.3
background music.
Kiva kuunnella jotain muutakin kuin länsimaista musaa. Tässä oli iloinen fiilis.
Appreciate the vibe. Just not my style.
Nice enough, nothing special
Interesting sound, I hadn't listened soukous/ rumba music before. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen again but not upset I got this one.
This is a very random inclusion in the 1001 list, considering how little African music is included and how Olomide fans generally feel about this. But whatever, it’s good, not great.
His voice is gorgeous. And I like the diversity of sound on this album. I don't speak French, so I have no idea what is being said, but I can tell which songs are love songs and which are celebrations of the culture and life. However, this album is dated. All the sounds, including the artificial drums, places this album squarely in the early 90s.
Not a single song under 4 minutes. You can't convince me that these don't start to drag. The vibes here are out of this world and I could groove to it all day. Production could be better. It's just good, simply. 3/5
Feel good music
I don't know if I've ever heard Congolese music before, so it was interesting to get exposure to. I'm taking this lists assessment that this is one of the "essential" examples of the genre, and overall its a nice vibe.
Hard to review. Musically not my thing. Lyrically can’t tell as it’s not in English. Wikipedia write-up was interesting wish I could understand to properly hear.
This was a little smoother than I expected, but there is some cool stuff.
This music is so far outside my comfort zone that I don't know what makes it special or not.
Sickly sweet chiptune-karaoke-ass sounds and repetitive melodies and rhythms. It did grow on me, rapist or no.
Ummmm
upbeat, didn't hate it
A charming album, beautifully sung, energetic with great beats.
3 punkte
3.25/5 I thought it was fun and bright/lively
I actually quite enjoyed this. It got my foot tapping. I wouldn’t. Choose to put it on but I wouldn’t rush to turn it off either.
It sounded fine, but it really didn't hold my interest towards the end. I can't honest say I've listened to any music from the Congo and it definitely had an appealing vibe with catchy rhythms and beats, so I'm open to hearing more.
Very pleasant, but not something I would have on regularly.
Standard World Music rating
What a listen. It's Congolese, but sounds like Caribbean, Conga, Salsa and at least a half-dozen other world sounds. Just like with a comment I made separating the man and the music with Eric Clapton, same goes here. Koffi Olomide is a terrible person that makes good music. 3.5/5.
This sounds like what would happen if you told an AI to make an album of songs that sound like "Under the Sea". Not sure how to rate this in the slightest.
Good music, couldn't understand a word of it, but it sounded like every party i go to
Belle voix, arrangements répétitifs mais entraînants, beaucoup de douceur
I enjoyed this
Not bad. Enjoyed a bit I think.
a nice cup of Koffi
Well I'm not really qualified to judge Koffi Olomidé"s music but here we are. Enjoyable but seemingly didn't stand out. Pleasant enough to enjoy on a hot summers afternoon. Wish I hadn't read his wiki profile.
Very nice and I can see how it might have influenced Paul Simon and others to incorporate this sound in their music. 3/5 just because it isn't something I'd choose to listen to often.
It's catchy and fun but other than Desespoir (which slaps) it felt like the same slightly boring song over and over again.
Was interesting to start with but went on for a bit too long
I Like the cheerful vibes
Pretty nice while jamming in the background. But far from an essential record to listen to me. 5 out of 10
3 - some of it is fun but I don’t have anything to compare it to
Fun album but this type of music is just not for me.
Está bien pero no me veo escuchándolo
The cover is a 5
Something about the album cover itself is screaming, "Graphic design is my passion." I think it's the three different fonts paired together because it is an odd choice to say the least. I was not expecting the album to open as happy sounding musically as it did. I don't speak the language the album was recorded in so I'm missing the lyric translations, all I can really say is it sounds good.
Right at the intersection of corny and earnest that I find kinda charming. I wouldn’t play this album again on purpose but if a song from it came on the local public radio station at 9:30 PM I wouldn’t change the channel.
Infectious guitar, even if it does eventually all sound the same. Very danceable. Like listening to John Peel in the 1980s!
So my feelings on this album seem to be a recurring thing, as I read a lot of similar reviews. Yes, this album is interesting. To a North American, it even seems novel and exotic. But that's the thing: I don't feel like I have an appropriate scope or context to critique this album, or its significance on this project. Albums like this certainly deserves to be on the project, but whether or not this specific album is an appropriate or worthy inclusion, I can't say. I think a relative amount of the album is lost in cultural translation. To someone like me, this is thrown into a catch-all genre of "world", which is essentially saying "everything that isn't western music". To the people of Africa or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this is NOT something as simple or impersonal as "world" music. And maybe this is a bigger conversation, but I think music like this should be reflected with a more appropriate, specific, and culturally accurate genre than "world", especially in the context of this project where we are critiquing albums. MAYBE then, people like me would be even somewhat more in a place to be commenting on this type of music. All that said, I did enjoy what I heard. I guess just don't ask me to actually critique it, because I do not feel like I'm in any kind of position to do so.
Not my style but not horrible
Soukous (ritmos africanos). Ni fu ni fa.
It's a bit of a vibe. It's a very Sfinks festival type of music, where I might want to pay attention to a song or two, and enjoy it well enough before wandering over elsewhere to grab a beer or avoid the weed smells, or just wander around to see if someone I know is nearby and has literally anything to say
Une pochette de très haute volée, visiblement réalisée par un expert du logiciel Paint. Il y étale toute sa technique, utilisant plusieurs polices d'écriture et plusieurs couleurs. Il arrive même à donner à certaines lettres un contour blanc grâce à l'astuce suivante : écrire le texte une deuxième fois, le mettre en blanc et le poser sur un calque qu'on viendra placer en dessous du texte d'origine. Du grand art.
Koffi Olomidé vient nous offrir un album respectant absolument tous les codes de l'africanaiserie. Tout est soigneusement calibré pour satisfaire notre Robert national, adorateur de la culture africaine. Là où Koffi vient apporter sa patte personelle, c'est au niveau du mix de cet album. Il n'a en effet pas hésité à rajouter de multiples bruitages de coups de pieds tout au long de l'album, en voici quelques exemples: "Toulougoumi djima limbi sangaaaaa *swoush paf* (bruit d'un coup de pied retourné venant toucher le visage de sa cible)" "International bongo boussa boussa *PANG* (coup de pied rapide et précis porté au genou de sa compagne)" "Dja dja musique ahhhhhh solange camara *whoop bing* (coup de pied sauté venant s'enfoncer pleine puissance dans l'estomac de son fils)" On en redemande.
Nice beats
I absolutely loved the first song on this album and I'm excited to check out other culture's music. Overall not bad, I'm happy to have listened to this but it was a little underwhelming after hearing the second track and on.
Pleasant album with enjoyable sounds throughout!
The music is fun. I don’t speak the language so that limits my enjoyment. Koffi also sounds like not a great dude (multiple assaults and a conviction for statutory rape). Be a better human, Koffi.
Beetje zoet maar wel lekker.
Cant rate
A sound very outside my comfort zone, but so far I'm kinda digging it. There's just enough French used in the dialect be8ng spoken that I keep expecting to understand it more than I do. Hmmm, overall I'm not huge on it but it was a pleasant new experience. 3/5
struggling to think of much to say about this so im not going to
J'ai bien aimé le vibe et cet album était très bon dans son style. J'ai bien aimé le francais aussi :P 3.85
This actually had some really catchy bops on it, but I don't speak the language so hard to fully get behind the album. I was grooving along to the instrumentation though, so I'll give it a 3
Það er ákveðinn ferskleiki sem fylgir þessari plötu. Góð tilbreyting frá vestrænu tónlistinni. Mæli með!
Nice, the synths and electronic drums haven’t aged too well
Super Mario Odessey OST
Good album, one and done for me but worth the listen.
It's obviously a big deal, but it really wasn't my kind of thing. I think it's the sound of the thing, which has a lot of the vagaries of the worst of the late eighties and nineties - flat synths and over emoting. That said, when the tunes get a beat on, you definitely want to shake your arse, so that wins it back for me a bit.
I’ve never delved into Champeta music, but I am now very intrigued. I had a fun time trying to figure out which language they were singing in (when not French). I think I was able to pinpoint Lingala.
New to me and enjoyed the something different, but probs not going to deep dive his catalog.
I liked this! I probably wouldn’t listen again but I enjoyed the uptempo, positive beats.
Chipper background music to work to
I'm not the right person to give this a review, it sounded very good and musically was fine m, but I just know I won't listen to it again is its not my thing
Very different from what I typically listen to. Not something I would choose, but worth checking out.
Really liked the sounds and rhythms of this album. I have to admit that my scant experience in African music has come from artists like Paul Simon, specifically his Graceland album. Loved the African music sensibility of Graceland and was happy to listen to Koffi Olomide for a lesson on what real Congolese Soukus music sounds like. I particularly liked Koweit Rive Gauches and Desespoir.
3.7 - High energy West African pop music. Bouncy guitar fills, flowing rhythms and rich bari-tenor vocals. A few cheesy-sounding ballads but overall a pleasant listen.
Enjoying it, having a difficult time understanding the context of why it's on the list.
Difficult to enjoy a lot of it, but it's not bad. It's just me.
Has some nice beats. Maybe heard a little zydeco in there? Wasn't really inspired by it. Just a reasonably nice listen.
I couldn’t discern what really distinguishes this from a whole lot of pop-ified World music I’ve heard by the by... It’s all competent musicianship, good singing (though of course I can’t comprehend a word). But it couldn’t help but fade into the background for me. Upbeat but relatively insubstantial.
Disco completo foi perdendo o interesse, mas fica claro a importância de se conhecer.
Boring but inoffensive. 5/10
MUSE MUSA! SASI U BOSA!
All I need is a cold Kalik and I'm transported to the islands. It might actually be the wrong island, actually. Hmmm... well, I could listen to this while bonefishing with some Kalik in my cooler.
Definitely hard to fully appreciate everything in world music where you don't understand the lyrics. The vibe certainly seems very island and laid back... and i know I'm an idiot for saying this, but it makes me think of what an album would sound like if the Sebastian the Crab (from The Little Mermaid) made a smooth album. Enjoyable.
A pleasant listen. Soukous always makes me think of my college days, because the local college radio station played a lot of it. This is such joyful music, you can't help but be in a good mood listening to it. A little repetitive from song to song, but still pretty fun. Fave Songs: Papa bonheur, Qui cherche trouve; Desepoir; Obrigado, Conte de fees
Pretty sweet , nothing amazing.very holiday buzz off it
Like Graceland without Paul Simon.
Pleasant
I like the music a lot. However, i don’t really like the vocal style. Feels like island music so it would be something good to listen to while sitting near the ocean while having a Mai Thai
At first, I went into this record genuinely curious and was left feeling that this was mostly okay. Sounds samey at points but don't discard the craft that went into this album; the bright sounds that come out of this are worth the listen. Favorites: Papa Bonheur, Désespoir, Koweït, Rive Gauche.
I mean it's nice and all, but it just makes me think of background music in some gift shop.
Admittedly I don’t speak French, but nothing sets this album apart from others in the genre
Nice rhythms but without being able to understand the words much of this sounds the same to me.
This is fine but I dont really have enough reference points to evaluate it in any fair way.
I've come back to this to fill in gaps to find a very much recognise that cover and have obviously already 'done' this one. Presumably it made no impact. Therefore don't know if it should be 2 or 3.
Love the mix of guitar and FM synths. Could see myself getting into this more.
Mostly enjoyable afrobeat. At least the parts where they've managed to keep the keyboardist away from E. PIANO 1 on his DX7.
Jaunty music from a dubious man who is probably available as a handyman at a price you can afford!
jaunty! (reads bio) oh no
Interesante y agradable
I had to look this guy up on Wikipedia as I'd not heard of him. I can see that he's a bit of a cad from the antics listed on his page, but his music has a lightness of touch that makes it really pleasant listening
A bit like a Congolese Lionel Richie (in music vibe only - I can't imagine Lionel karate kicking a backing dancer). 2.5/5
Pretty good danceable African music.
Interesting, enjoyed the music, good Afro beat and upbeat
Felt like being on holiday
Best Song: Qui cherche trouve. Slow groovy dance rhythm yeah. Worst Song: Dit Jeannot. A bit too far out in space, instrumentally. Overall: Optimistic toe-tapping music that does nothing to grab your attention, for better or worse. Beautiful mess of an album cover though.
It sounds like we're in Nandos...apparently.
The enjoyment of music is tied to when you listen to it, where you listen to it and who you listen to it with. I listened to this on a Kenyan beach while sipping cocktails. That's the setting that this album is made for. I very much doubt I would have enjoyed it quite as much if I was listening to it on a wet Thursday in a Bolton Nandos.
Sounds like Ariel and Sebastian jammin it out.
Never heard of this chap before but he's been making recordings since 1983 and I counted 29 albums on wikipedia. The music on Haut De Gamme is pleasant and unassuming, the polyrhythmic grooves provide an upbeat platform for Olomide to sing over. Meanwhile there is usually some exotic sounding instrument playing a cheery motif as a counter melody. As with a lot of what is classified "world music" it's sung in the local dialect, meaning you have no idea what the songs are about, so you concentrate on the mood of the music, which is joyous and feels a little bit spiritual. The vibe is relaxed and lacking bite so it does occasionally veer into lounge territory. Of course, whether that's good or bad depends on the listener. On the whole it is quite an enjoyable lightweight album and I relish the thought of seeing/hearing this performed in a live setting at an outdoor festival (with a beer or three) in the middle of summer instead of a cold winter's day in February (with a cuppa tea)! Terrible cover art mind.
Very womad. Benign background music.
Bluesy, sleazy, and fun. Jesus…Chicago, Waitin for the Bus, LaGrange all classics. This set them up for a lifetime of great boogie.
Kinda jovial music but ehhh.... sounds super cheesy. Does get a slightly better rating since it's from Africa and that is a nice change. 2.5/5
I don't even know who you are. Jaunty album doe
-Background of “Papa bonheur” sounds like the Bloons TD Music -Ok the whole album is just like reggae/dance-esque music in French lol -The bridge of “Conte de fées” actually picks up to be pretty groovy with the high pitched whatever grooving along -Very end of “Dit Jeannot” got kinda cool -The whole album is just like reggae/dance-esque music in French lol
Listening to this my first thought was, "Ah, now I see where Paul Simon stole the music for Graceland!" But I see that this album was actually recorded quite a few years after Graceland. I guess that's just the style. I enjoyed the music, especially the more upbeat numbers. 3 stars.
Definitely out of left field. Not my type of music but not terrible.
Great Jams
Disco raro e interesante. No sé si lo termine de escuchar pero voy a escucharlo de vez en cuando.
42. Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche - Koffi Olomide 9 tracks. It's African Salsa if such a thing exists, but it's toe-tappingly catchy & decent. I wouldn't choose to listen to it, but I also wouldn't turn it off. 3/5
French, early 90s sound.
Festive, not my usual. I appreciated hearing it but don't think I'd come back to it
Good tunes
Major key jams with a nice mellow vibe. Quite same-ish after a few songs.
I didn’t give this much of listen due to time. I like the more rhythmic, call and response sections with guitar, less so the poppy pieces, where it sounds like he borrowed George Michaels’ electric piano player. I’ve probably listened with regularity to only about a dozen African artists. they would get higher score than Koffi.
Étnica. Melódica.
Didn’t know anything about Congolese music before listening. Can’t understand the language. Yet, I found the music’s joyous, uplifting rhythms and soothing vocals enjoyable!
Good stuff
I don’t know enough about genre to know how influential or important this genre is. It’s not really my type of vibe personally - but it’s kinda funky I guess. :)
Not bad, but doesn't sound special to me. Dude's voice is damn great.
upbeat tropical, the music is good lyrics are in a language I don't understand. Not really my jam.
New one to me (both the album and the artist). I enjoyed this one. Hard not to bob the head or tap the foot along to the whole album. I happen to really enjoy listening to the French language, spoken or sung, even though I can't speak it, so that added a sweet layer to the music for me. Great music.
Eh, I can appreciate it for being different. Doesn't blow my mind or anything, also it's not the best example of this genre
Не, этнический чил я уважаю. Но латинский как-то пока больше заходит, нигерсий на его фоне теряется. Не особо интересно, порой надоедает однообразностью, хотя прогнал только пару раз. В целом, будь менее навязчивым, вполне себе видел бы как ост Цивилизации, возглавляешь нацию Зулулэнд, берёшь под контроль Шаку, и вот как в современность попадаешь, эта шляпа играет. В общем, имеет право на существование, на возвращаться, вероятно, не стану.
Enjoyed this album…….easy listening
When I think of African music this is what I imagine. The music Paul Simon and Vampire Weekend obviously ripped off. BT: Papa Bonheur, Qui Cherche Trouve, Port-Monnaie
I liked it because it's cool to know new artists that I never knew, but the album itself is so monochromatic. Good songs to dance to, maybe some important message that I don't understand, but just a good album.
I think I listened to the right album? Or at least its closest equivalent on Apple Music. This is really enjoyable music! Not sure why this one was picked, but I'm always happy to see something other than rock or new wave show up. I couldn't tell you if this is groundbreaking or influential, but it's a very pleasant listening experience. Lots of great grooves that make me want to dance. Favorite tracks: Papa bonheur, Porte monnaie, Dit jeannot. Album art: Released in the early '90s, but looks incredibly '80s. Good, colors, good font. Koffi's fit is astonishing. 3.5/5
Sounded like the background music in a Portuguese restaurant