On his second, officially untitled album with the Cubano Fiestas, K. Frimpong refined his blend of Ghanaian highlife, Caribbean influences and subtle electronic elements even further. Though the so-called »black album« lacks a perennial anthem like »Kyenkyen Bi Adi M’awu« from his equally untitled, »blue album« debut, it stands nonetheless as a classic in its own right.
The faultless rhythm section weaves, with effortless precision, a percussive tapestry as intricate as that of Fela Kuti’s legendary Africa 70 — but lighter in feel. Above it unfolds the delicate interplay of a band in peak form, deconstructing and reassembling its stylistic threads with dreamlike assurance, never losing the pulse of the groove. Frimpong’s supple baritone, meanwhile, leans towards melancholy where Fela would warn or accuse.
The black album reaches its summit with »Adam Nana«, a concise fifteen-minute statement distilling the ensemble’s strengths to perfection. An essential reissue of a bona fide classic — presented here in superb quality.
