Tiken Jah Fakoly is leading a genuine artistic revolution on his latest album, "African Revolution". While the message has not changed, as full of militancy and demands as ever, the compositions that carry it stand in sharp contrast to the Ivorian singer’s discographic past. Gone are the piano, the brass and the female backing vocals that abounded on the previous opuses. From now on, the skank steps back, to better highlight the soukou, the balafon or the kora. In interviews, Tiken maintains that his music is African reggae. We would rather lean towards an international variety music in which reggae is no more than an influence. It hardly matters in the end, so successful is the project.
It is in order to mobilise a wider audience ("more soldiers", he says) that this opening-up was necessary. Hence the appearance of lyrics in English (Political war in a duet with Asa, African revolution) which drive home a message that has remained the same. The African revolution he preaches is one of consciences and minds. He harangues the population to take (back) control, defends education, advocates mobilisation (Il faut se lever, votez), defies the political class (Je ne veux pas ton pouvoir, Laisse moi m'exprimer). After 15 years of career and already 10 albums to his name, Tiken thus opens up a new path, perhaps more mainstream but no less interesting artistically. The serious business perhaps starts here.
