Beninese singer, songwriter, and activist
Angelique Kidjo
has always showcased the indelible influence of the African continent's varied musical traditions on global popular music. Recent examples include her 2018 track-for-track remake of the
Talking Heads
'
Remain in Light
, and 2019's
Celia
, her tribute to salsa goddess
Celia Cruz
, who spent her career celebrating the primacy of African sources in Cuban music.
Mother Nature
goes further than either of those records.
Kidjo
's first album of original music in years, it was created with a host of -- mostly -- younger collaborators from several countries.
Opener "Choose Love" was co-written by Zimbabwean-American songwriter
Shungudzo Kuyimba
and Nigerian-born songwriter/music executive
Adeniyi "Synematik" Adelekan
. A rousing chant sung in rounds, it features Benin countryman
Lionel Loueke
's guitar as the only instrumental accompaniment;
and
Kuyimba
meld their euphoric voices in the chorus. The original "Dignity" is a massively funky duet with Nigerian Afro-pop singer and co-composer
Yemi Alade
. It's an anthem of resistance inspired by the Nigerian youth movement's attempt to disband the country's notoriously corrupt Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The inspiring "Africa, One of a Kind" features Nigerian singer/songwriter and producer
Mr Eazi
. Amid the bumping, bouncing, string-heavy mix fueled by the Malian guitar/bass trio of
Joshua Moszi
,
Djessou Mory Kante
, and
Ijomone Emmanuel
is a familiar voice lifting up the other singers:
Salif Keita
's classic "Africa" is amply sampled here as the tune's core. Other highlights include the title track, co-written by
, her husband, keyboardist and producer
Jean Hebrail
, and British songwriter
Jenn Decilveo
, and performed with
's road band. Its meld of reggae, highlife, and Afrobeat offers both an homage to the planet and a warning to those who would refuse to honor and protect her. Other highlights include the bumping groover "Do Yourself" with Nigerian singer/songwriter/rapper (and Grammy winner)
Burna Boy
. Co-produced by
Chisom Ezeh
Rexxie
, it's a joyous number built for the dancefloor, offering intricate vocal lines and soaring choruses atop layers of percussion, guitars, keyboards, and abundantly layered loops.
re-team on "Meant for Me," an infectiously danceable testament to acceptance with
Synematik
handling the instrumentation and samples.
joins Zambian singer/songwriter
Sampa the Great
on the breezy, skittering, poignant empowerment manifesto "Free & Equal," and on "Take It or Leave It" she teams with Atlanta hip-hop duo
EarthGang
, with
on backing vocals and production by
the Roots
James Poyser
. Brit jazz-hop duo
Blue Lab Beats
Ghetto Boy
assist on the simmering club banger "Fired Up," slamming hip-hop and West African rhythms under guitarist
Dominic James
, who crisscrosses through juju and highlife with Malian blues runs and spidery funk.
delves into dramatic pop chanson on "Mycelium" with French singer and guitarist
-M-
(
Mathieu Chedid
), a frequent collaborator of Malian pop singing duo
Amadou & Mariam
. On
delivers not only an infectious, danceable transcontinental showcase for the African continent's musical influence on global traditions, but emphatically proclaims it a primary engine in pop's future. ~ Thom Jurek