Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Listened to it while make some apple crisp. The apple crisp turned out great.

Sounds like the music playing during the excursion boat ride.

Some outstanding tracks.

Little mermaid soundtrack.

2.44

This album is fun. I don’t love the production, but that’s not too damning.

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.

1 - This sounds like if you went to a nice island resort and they were playing a basic island music CD, but the CD got stuck looping track one and no one fixed it for like an hour. You sit there, going crazy. If I had to listen to it again, it'd probably give it a .5. I'm glad some people like this kind of music, but man, it drives me crazy...

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.

A lot of fun. I'm not sure I love it but it's decent stuff.

You know that feeling of not understanding a single word of the song's lyrics? That's the feeling! The only word I understood from the entire album was actually the song title "Obrigado" (which means Thank You) because it's in my native language (Portuguese). But the question is: WHO CARES ABOUT THIS? My body didn't stop moving for a single moment. The instruments are very well played and have a captivating rhythm. It's very similar to another genre of music here in Brazil called "Lambada". And that means that I really felt at home listening to this album.

Honestly, this album offers up infectious rhythms and breezy guitar, a welcome break from the Anglo-American biasness of this list. Though the dated synths and repetitive arrangements make it a demanding listen. While the artist’s history adds baggage, it remains a high energy, sunny curiosity perfect for breaking up a standard playlist.

I absolutely fucking loved this shit! 5

Instantly in a good mood :)

I didn’t like that midi Doughie houser production. The guy is a criminal

Did not particularly care for this one. The sound is good and it is well-produced, but I'm not a fan of the music. It's a bit overproduced and a little too upbeat for my taste. The (non-English) vocals are a bit too prominent for me as well, so there's not much appeal for me.

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.

La musique du monde :')

102/1001 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑

It's not bad, but really got tired of the stock Casio keyboard sounds. 2/5

Pretty much unlistenable

It's good to see something from outside the US and UK, but this was kinda boring after the first couple of tracks.

Needed some coffee to get through Koffi, just a bit too light for me (2.5/5)

lauleskelija poika kongosta... Conceptual..

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.

I love afrobeat and these songs had a great rhythm and great mood to them, but I did not think there was much of a variation from song to song. It felt like a slog after about 15 minutes, and I'd happily take one song on its own, but a whole album sorta put me to sleep. High level of musicianship, but I wouldn't listen again.

Giving strong 'vacation montage in a 90's movie' vibes.

Wow did I not enjoy this. The beats sounded like the intro to an african disney movie and the sing talking makes every track a slog. I kept skipping in hope for some hook or memorable something and it just never happened. Nothing memorable, nothing dance-able, and because of the language barrier, nothing to chew on lyrically. I just don't like it.

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.

Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez! Poussa! Poussez!

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".

Really likeed thisbalbum and enjoyed it. Although I had NO clue what they were singing about. I appreciated the new sounds rhythym and tempo of the compositions. It was really needed cause Im getting a lot of albums I own or have listened to in my lifetime. I feel it was a bit commercial but thats OK. Happy music for clueless listeners like myself.

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 that African sound!

To those criticizing lower ratings for albums like Koffi Olomide's "Haut De Gamme/Koweit Rive Gauche" because they feel we can't separate personal opinions from an artist's potential, it's time to reassess. Unless you're culturally connected to this genre, you're no more knowledgeable than the rest of us on the album's influence or quality. People often downvote what they don't understand, but on the flip side, some upvote anything new or foreign to showcase their supposed understanding and tolerance. It's okay to admit that sometimes, you just won't connect with certain things because the cultural bridge is too far, and you may never truly understand—and that's okay.

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

Just funky and fun as hell, gives me island vibes at times. Glad I get to experience lots of world music through this list. Cant really pin down a song that stuck out but the album as a whole made my day way jauntier.

Pretty fun afrobeat album! I’m a sucker for albums that aren’t in English so this tickled me just right

Don’t really need to hear again. But didn’t kill me.

It might have helped if my French was better but this one is missing that je ne sais quoi that I needed for a higher rating.

Dit swingt echt bizar hard. Een soort Afrikaanse jazz plaat, gaat alle kanten op. Nummers zijn lang, maar elk nummer eindigt in een soort volle swing vaart, super leuk en vermakelijk. Wel jammer dat nummers vaak wat rustiger en ingetogen beginnen voordat ze echt los komen. Dat leidt bij mij toch ene beetje af en zorgt dat ik niet altijd de volle aandacht er bij heb. Maar als we dan losgaan, dan gaat het ook echt hard als je het mij vraagt! Sowieso complimenten, de laatste tijd zijn de albums weer best wel verrassend, dit is ook het 2e afrikaanse jazz album in een week tijd? Als elk nummer de hele tijd was zoals elk nummer eindigt was dit misschien 5 sterren, maar omdat de beginstukken vaak wat relaxter zijn kom ik uit op 4. Sprak ik maar beter Frans... Als voorbeeld van een nummer dat echt los komt: luister naar Port Monnaie en dan vanaf minuut 4 ongeveer gaat het helemaal los terwijl het daarvoor een vrij rustig nummer is. Maar goed, ales bij elkaar; lekker album, pure vibes, lekker eens wat anders. FAVO: Papa Bonheur, Desespoir(2e helft), Qui Cherche Trouv'e, Porte Monnaie

Really something that is not in my wheelhouse. Congolese music whilst sounding fun and interesting, is something that I don't enjoy on a daily basis. Best: Desespoir Worst: Dit Jeannot

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

Very enjoyable despite making the mistake of reading up on the singer's life. Can't fault the music, though.

Good music. Pleasing vocals along side good rhythm.

Doesn't have the beat or funk to be setbreak music. How this compares to similar music in its genre? Who knows but it was kinda boring

Wading up to the swim-up bar in Cancun to get my 6th Negra Modelo of the morning, this is what's playing.......probably.

Not bad.....but also not for me.

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.

Didn't grab me. Sorry Koffi :(

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.

I think that was just the same annoying song nine times in a row. I can’t say it’s objectively BAD though.

Enjoyed this way more than expected. Really strong melodies and musicianship. Grooves for days.

As the earth quaked beneath a sky turned the color of fresh bruises, an ancient, unyielding gate cracked open with a sound that melded thunder with the shattering of eons-old chains. From the abyssal depths, a light not seen by the surface world in millennia—ominous and gleaming with the promise of forgotten dread—poured forth, casting elongated shadows that seemed to writhe in anticipation. The air thickened, heavy with the scent of brimstone and the whispered fears of generations, as if the very atmosphere mourned the unleashing of ancient horrors. This was no mere opening of a gate; it was a rending of the fabric between worlds, a calamity foretold by prophecies etched in the hidden places of the world. Hell's gates had yawned wide, not to welcome the damned, but to unleash upon the earth the pent-up fury and darkness of untold ages.

Тумба-юмба

блять он бесконечный

Альбом кайфовый и заразительный. Меня бесит узколобость авторов. Э, ну давайте включим музыку не на английском - а ну давайте народную африканскую врубать, лол кек Японский джаз, французский шансон, немецкое техно - пошли нахуй.Единственное что было классное - краут-рок

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

the first album i have found via this service that i would definitely have not found on my own and its a joyful one

no.

For fans of world music - if you liked the South African music on Paul Simon's "Graceland", then you will like this album. No idea what he was singing about because the lyrics are in French and Congolese, but I really liked this album.

That was fun, but I don't think it really stands out from your average African music.

Rapist.

gmüetlechs vivi album

nice background for work. Highly repetitive if you are paying attention.

- the vibes are good yes, but do i ever see myself listening to this again? Probably not

- fun vibes

Fun and danceable. I don't know how often I'll seek it out, but I thoroughly enjoyed my first listen.

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.

3/10 Every track is the same

Lokale muziek uit de jaren '90. Het voelt at ouderwets aan. Het album Graceland van Paul Simon is dan een stuk leuker. **

Good!!

achei diferente

Eh wasn't really feeling this one. It was decent as background music but hard for me to really get into.

Passable background music

Ive moaned before about Apple Music genres being a bit reductive. Today’s album is described as “African”. Imaging an album’s genre being described as European. That would be silly, and this is the same. Anyway, let’s listen to this one! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Désespoir This is another album and artist that I haven’t heard of before. Added to this is the fact that I don’t understand the language, adding to its mystery with my stupid little ears. From an entirely sonic point of view, this sounded really pleasant and had me bopping away throughout. I like how different the music sounds to what I’m used to, without sounding too zany. I recommend this. It’s good.

el congoooo

Leuk man, kan hier wel lang naar luisteren. Snap waar stromae de inspiratie voor z'n laatste album vandaan haalt. Ook schattig dat ie het feit dat ie in deze lijst staat in z'n spotifybio heeft gezet.

I enjoyed it for a couple songs, but I didn't have a full hour in me

The musicianship is fine, but this is not my style of music. There are albums that make me want to split my head on the corner of a cinder block wall, but this one falls just short.

This was not at all what I was expecting, but it was good, a fun listen, and something surprising out of the 1001.

Definitely an interesting listen, gave me similar vibes to Masayoshi Takanaka, 8/10

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.

Pretty not good. Not 1 star bad I guess but never again.

Theres not a single song on this album that I would want to go back and listen to again

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

The music is not all that interresting so would mean 3 stars, however you can not seperate the music from the artist and with several alligations and convictions of serious misconduct by the artist this gets 1 star.

Nada que resalte mas allá de la obvia calidad como músico. Pero que se yo, no debo tener el oído para distinguir algo sobresaliente en melodías ambientales

Classic forgettable album :A

Nice summer holiday vibes

This is a Congolese album from the '90s that is not in English, so I have no clue what he's singing about. I tried to keep an open mind, but I finished this just thinking it was pretty bad. I feel like he tried to pull in some western music sounds throughout, but everything he pulled in was like the worst parts of music at the time, so now it just sounds tacky and dated. There is very little written on this album that I could find, but Koffi seems to be one of the big names in Congolese music so I get wanting to include him on the list. From the little I found though it seems like this particular album isn't really considered his best, so I'm not sure why this is what got picked. His voice is perfectly good, but this left a lot to be desired for me. Also, the album cover is hilariously bad. Ugly grey background, three wildly different fonts that are all terrible, him off to the side goofily just pointing at the camera, and for some reason white pants that look 100% photoshopped. It's rough. Favorite song: Papa bonheur 2/27/24

sounded great. the song length was consistently longer than i would have liked, but that allowed for the songs to develop their grooves.

A fun listen once

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.

my only familiarity with this genre of music is from commericals for cruises, which brought a fun and whimsical energy to my seemingly endless covid isolation

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.

Silly

This isn’t for me. I did not find much of anything redeeming here. Musically it is super interesting even if it lacks the pull and grab to keep my attention.

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!

Absolutely not my jam...

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

Every song sounded the same. Not a bad listen but not really sure why it's on this list.

Nice African music.

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

5 / 5 songs. 5 / 5 album art.

This is the type of album I was hoping for from a list like this. Just a great, fun time. I was dancing to this album while cooking this morning

French. ,ot just French, also just not good

For a guy that has a massive feud and controversy list in Wikipedia, this tone of music is the last thing I expected. Statutory rape, kicking women on stage, stealing music and collab beefs, and a concert crowd crush, the list goes on. This music feels way too happy but I guess people in France and Africa like him that much? Controversy aside of course as I try to listen to the music for the music, this is still a hard pass.

uh pass Significant 39/125 Liked 18/125 Added 4/125 NNN

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?

Fire

Gladbinheatd it. But no thanks.

Tres gauche

Caribbean afro pop meets Paul Simon. Most songs are twice as long as they need to be, and the music could, for the most part, just be put on a loop. The singer is quite talented. Otherwise, not something I'd ever want to listen to again.

Great African music. Great and legendary artist.

Too safe. Too happy. Not my style. Appreciate the musicianship and at times the vocals. Hate the wal mart keyboard ambient treble sounding keys and predictable rhythms.

I tend to rate international albums pretty high, I like being exposed to new stuff. This one had me vibin and dancin

That was fun!

Fun music, my first fully foreign album on here

v chill but cmon like i dont listen to this music

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.

Fun but thats about it

Best part of doing this list is getting given music to listen to that is not what would usually be played by me. This is great example. It took me a few false starts as it didn't hook me at first. Once it did I found I was in a soundscape of grooves and beats. I couldn't understand stand a word but Koffi Olomide has such an amazing range. File under listen to more Ndombolo

Not a foreign language album that invites me to listen. Okay musicianship. Repetitive.

refreshing sounds

Eh, it's pretty jaunty but not amazing.

I quite liked this! I think I'd like to give it 2.5

I can finally live as a Disney princess in a Latin America film. I mean, it's relaxing, but who decided this was a life changing album? Dudes got a nice voice though

Thought that this would be a vibe, something with an atmosphere that could work as background music. Nahhh, not a fan.

If the goal of this challenge is to listen to things I usually wouldn't, this definitely ticks that box! I enjoyed it and it was quite uplifting, but I'm not in a rush to listen to it again.

Kreolische afrikanische Klänge mit dem Hang zum Gewimmer mit brauchbarer Stimme unterstützt von Rasseln und Bongos - nicht mein Geschmack.

Really not liking this at all. Pop and not the good kind

I feel bad that I don't have stronger feelings on this. It's fine background music, but I probably wouldn't listen to it with focus

Soukous (ritmos africanos). Ni fu ni fa.

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

Weekend at Bernie’s dancing the congo line music.

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.

Very ‘80s DJ-cruise-ship’ - dated and synthesized, doesn't hold up well

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

I really enjoyed this. Fun and catchy.

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.

Ok

2/5. Yeah definitely something. I mean, it's a fun gimmick but not an hour worth, it's only natural to start tuning out. Like it's not bad but it's just a lot especially for a different language. Sometimes, multi-lingual albums transcend my language barrier but this one inhibits it. It's good background music and nothing more.

This was an upbeat good world/disco album, was swaying between and 2 or a 3, but the fact the man raped a 15 year old dancer sways any good feels I was going to give him, fair play to anyone separating the art from the artist, always harder to do when you know about the artist before embracing the art.

So easy to listen to and such a unique sound. Really enjoyed it.

He may be a legend and this album may be representative, but it's also a strong vibe that wasn't my wavelength today despite giving it an honest effort more than once.

🙄🙄🙄

I have a moderate love for West African music but this is really good music. Lots of variety and Koffi's voice is so rich and beautiful. Good quality music.

This album is pretty generic. The tracks run too long, and by the second song, the repetitive rhythms start to wear thin. Dude is also a terrible human being. Nothing of value here.

Totalmente desconocido. Tampoco es que sea fácil conocer estos autores más exóticos que además de africanos son de la órbita francófona. No me ha convencido, me ha sonado demasiado a orquesta de verbena. Como otros muchos no creo que sea imprescindible aunque tampoco sea malo.

i am usually pretty open to "world" music. usually i find it pretty fulfilling to hear music outside of my norms. this album was fine, i have no qualms with it. it didn't wow me

I don't know if it's good or bad, but I do know I don't like it at all.

Very warm

Album 277 of 1001 Koffi Olomide - Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche Rating : 2 / 5 Language barrier and musical style keep me from considering this anything more than some pleasant background noise. Don't know anything of the guy, just not really for me.

I really don't care for this, at all.

Ça sonne pas très haut de gamme

Got excited for a bit with something new but very fast got into the ‘Meeeh’

Fun to listen to a different genre than I normally listen and it started out promising but then ended up being an album that just wasn't for me.

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.

ok but got old pretty quick

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.

This isn’t necessarily my cup of tea for an entire album listen—but it did have me dancing as I made breakfast in the kitchen while I listened!

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.

Great vibes but in french

The power of music that is so intertwined into a certain culture is that it feels really authentic and true to that culture. When you start bringing in elements from other music that is completely separate from that culture, all that authenticity gets lost. In this particular case, all thats left is just an album with boring songs that go on for way to long. He is also apparently like the worst guy ever. It did not influence my score, but its worth mentioning.

Not for me-

Interesting album. Much different than what I usually listen to, but I enjoyed it.

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

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

fun Congolese music, can see the roots of jamacan music or maybe it influenced this. Can't understand it but fun

Some nice bits, but overall pretty boring and forgettable for me at least. Won't be re-listening.

Реге звук, интересано, али није мој жанр. Мислим могао бих да слушам у позадини вероватно. 6/10

I enjoyed approximately ⅔ of this album. If I'd heard the other ⅓ at another time, on another day, I'd probably have enjoyed it then, but the relentless sunny optimism of this music is rather taxing on a snowy November day.

Pleasant and sunny but kind of all blurred in to one. Not sure why it is on this list tbh

Det är ju inte sämre än rap och hiphop men det blir en svag tvåa.

Really fun

3.5

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

Good vibes

-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.

It was interesting. It wasn't good. It wasn't bad. I won't listen to it again though.

Meh

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

Delightful. I’m a big fan.

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

musically, great album. musicianship is pristine and the songwriting is good probably and it’s a danceable record. the songs are obviously too long and repetitive but that’s the nature of the genre so i can’t fault it there. usually i dock points for perving on minors on record but i don’t know if he is here or not so i wont. perving on minors is obviously bad but if it has no affect on the music then i don’t take it into the rating. however, he is singing in french which does affect the music, so i have to dock a star for that. because he’s french and also a pedo, he should kill himself.

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…

Unique. 2/5

The best thing to come out of the Congo. 3.5

listened over breakfast in Cumming at mom and dad's. beat is nice, but nothing i would ever listen to again. all lyrics in congolese. 1.6/5

love the hypnotic interwoven intricacy of melody & rhythm

It was aight but I can’t get into foreign music unless instrumentals crazy

I don't know how this album can even be counted as music as it's just noise and screaming noises. If this was an art istalation I would understand but you can't really call this music. I can see what they were going for but it didn't really work.

Hey, that papa boner track was kinda fun. But this is pretty much just all-inclusive resort background pool music. Also, this album cover is a real vibe! Co-worker pointed out that it looks like someone was mid photoshop on his pants because they’re so white lmao.

This was catchy for a bit but just got very repetitive, not for me

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

upbeat and smooth. Could listen and dance to this groove

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

Don’t know what he was singing about but shit out me in a good ass mood

background music.

Juuh. En sit tiedä miten kovaa settiä on genressään

Kiva kuunnella jotain muutakin kuin länsimaista musaa. Tässä oli iloinen fiilis.

Annoying rapist

Appreciate the vibe. Just not my style.

Обложка 10/10 Бля, а хули так скучно? Ебать, я еще только на 4 треке 7 песня про отсос Ладно, не так уж и хуево 4/10

Non-English

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.

Album is good but listening to a rapist singing is hard.

hemskt

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

Koffi Olomide is a Congolese Soukus artist. Soukus is apparently Rumba music with a faster tempo, and more guitars. To me it sounds like Spanish music, sung in French, dripping with 80's cheese. Even the album cover screams 80's, with Koffi's blindingly white pants. I feel like I don't have the knowledge to accurately rate this album, because I know nothing about Congolese rumba music, so how it stacks (good or bad) is lost on me. I know that I enjoyed the danceable beats achieved by the band, but whether it makes it good or bad in the grand scheme of things, I have no idea. As I don't speak French, the bulk of this album ran together for me, so I can't really pick out where the songs started and stopped. Favouririte songs: Papa Bonheur Least favourite songs: Dit Jeannot 2/5

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.

Listened Before? N ??? Couldn't even find this album. No. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: none

Why is this in 1001? Not interested in his personal history. This is dross.

LP, other albums

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.

Fun to listen to! Unfortunately, the album review spent most of the time here criticizing the choices of African music albums to include in the 1001 albums list rather than teaching me about the artist. However, it was a little vindicating to hear someone else criticize this list!

This was a little smoother than I expected, but there is some cool stuff.

Didn’t make it past track one. Hard pass.

Nope

Nice for a change but not a regular listen. I have an old Papa Wemba album that has a very similar vibe.

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.

Very good, very groovy, 5 stars.

C'est la fiesta africaine, en français svp! Good vibes, pas pour moi.

Ummmm

Yeah, revered worldwide, I am sure but I just couldn’t get with the Congolese conga.

This one deserves more than one listen. It's good.

Not really my thing… it’s not terrible and I like the recording, instruments, and the singing is nice. But will likely never listen to it again. I’m gonna have to go 2.

I'm repeating myself here, but: pretty much the only thing to celebrate about this entry is the rarity of non western entries. As for the music itself, I can't say it aged well nor can I say I find of interest for any other reason. Which is rather sad, because there is so much good music in this world that's completely ignored by this list here. And yes, the guy is no angel, either.

upbeat, didn't hate it

Very pleasant indeed

Ritmos africanos y latinos, con ritmo. Ninguna característica especial.

❄️

good stuff, but not really into it

Not for me.

Interesting that you can hear the cultural "roots" of Carribean music in this one, but it's not for me

Yuck

Not a fan of Latin music, even if the musician is African!

A charming album, beautifully sung, energetic with great beats.

3 punkte

3.25/5 I thought it was fun and bright/lively

A latinish album, but I was not really feeling it.

Fun background music for dinners

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.

great

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.

Didn't know about Olomide before, definitely do now. If nothing else, the vocals were really good. Cool to learn more about Congolese music, but this felt kinda long for what it was. Nice background party music though? I zoned out as it went on... Some elements stood out, but weren't really developed, parts on tracks 4 and 7. (Listened 6/18/23, before "previous" album)

Very pleasant, but not something I would have on regularly.

I liked this a lot! What joyful warm and rich music this is. I found it very soothing and uplifting to listen to

Thoroughly enjoyable. Just a niiiiice vibe

Very enjoyable music and very fun to listen to.

Standard World Music rating

This really sucks lol

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.

Kofi Olomide??

Yeah. Washes over me tbh. Not helping that he is a convicted under age rapist.

4/10 musique africaine pas désagréable, le chant pas mon vibe attouchements sexuels et séquestration étaient dans mon esprit

Not horrible, but also, not really for me. 2/5

listened

The songs stay in the same place yet still last for 5 minutes each. Rating: 1.2

Ok but a bit ‘background’ after a while. Would be great live.

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

Allegro e caraibico

I appreciated the uplifting melodies of the album, but other than that it was pretty underwhelming. It contained tons of typical 80s synth parts that have aged very well in my opinion, and the tracks were just not that good.