Wilfilms Records – WLP 1002
A first look at that sleeve can be dismaying: oh no, a Nigerian Rick
Wakeman. Then: wait, maybe a Nigerian Rick Wakeman would be good. Then
you look again and notice there are only two keyboards. Most of that
photo is mikes, all pointing at William Onyeabor as he conducts a press
conference, asking for love from nations, women and listeners while
journos from every corner of the studio thrust their microphones at him
from a safe distance - if he goes off, you don't want to be caught in
the blast.
But he never does go off. There are no explosions, just impossibly
sustained rumbles of joyful thunder. Onyeabor is no show-off, but I
can't call this record stripped down either, because that would suggest
it was ever built up. To construct his sweet love-loving funk he begins
with nothing and adds as much as is needed, no more: a simple bass line,
a minimal beat, some synths to flesh out the harmonies, the occasional
whizzy burble to liven things up, female backing singers and his own
voice, modest, quiet and strong.
I've immersed myself in this record innumerable times over the last few
weeks, but it's not something I get lost in, exactly - it fills the
world but doesn't obscure it. Things are made brighter by this. And with
what means? Punk says that all you need to make music is three chords
and a guitar; techno says you can do without both. Onyeabor says you
need two keyboards, six microphones, three women, a pair of ears and a
heart. It seems to work. "
"Despite the title, this stuff is chill as fuck. The bomb metaphor is
more like "man if I'll ever sober up and get off this bed my head just
might explode like an atomic bomb" rather than any aggressive Terminator
X thing. For some reason "I Need You All My Life" is duplicated at the
end of "Shame" and I don't know if it's the mp3 ripper's tricks or if
that was the case on the LP too. Yeah, it's an awesome love confessional
from one of the female backing singers (albeit with a weird oppressive
vibe by William) but 13 minutes just is a little too much. Anyway, the
ridiculous blend of (intentionally, I guess) naïve politics in "Better
Change Your Mind" and the other three stoned-as-fuck love-making tracks
is hilarious, but works. One of Nigeria's best, fo' sho.
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