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Written byNick Trethowan
With an angelic voice and production to touch the soul, Blick Bassy stuns with Mádibá.
One of my favourite finds of the year comes in the form of Blick Bassy, the talented French-Cameroonian artist, is captivating audiences once again with his most recent album, “Mádibá,” released earlier this year on InFiné .
Sung entirely in Bassa, his native language, and co-produced by Renaud Letang (known for working with Feist, Lianne La Havas, and Charlotte Gainsbourg), this album follows the critically acclaimed “1958” and “Akö” with beautiful production and a tone that soothes the soul while tugging the heart strings.
Blick Bassy’s haunting vocals and dreamy delivery balances perfectly with masterful production to create a mix of Bon Iver, James Blake and Bassa. With a heavenly sound and divine sonic experience, Mádibá moves through each track as something akin to spiritual. Each song on this album is special, beautiful and poignant. A sonic journey through tragedy, beauty, melodies and harmonies in a way that feels almost unconscious. As I moved through the album, I lost track of time. From the influence of modern, electronic Dreamwave synths, catchy percussion and vocal presentation to make your knees wobble, the listening experience is effortless.
Haunting, engaging, beautiful, Blick Bassy’s Mádibá finds a place in your head and doesn’t let go.
The album’s first single, ‘Hola Me,’ gives a glimpse into the rich tapestry of sounds and emotions that “Mádibá” has to offer as an album. Blick’s ethereal vocals intertwine gracefully with sober melodic guitar lines, brass arrangements, and deep, sustained synth notes thats frequencies sit deep inside your chest. The result is a panoramic, heavenly listening experience, infused with a poignant call for safeguarding the earth’s precious water sources.
In addition to ‘Hola Me,’ another enchanting track awaits us on Madiba, Blick Bassy’s InFiné debut. Titled ‘Nop,’ this song celebrates the joy of rain arriving amidst smiling, stubborn, and vengeful droughts. Over a captivating Karibik feel soundtrack, shimmering guitars add a glossy layer to Blick’s childhood memories of dancing outdoors with his brothers during the rainy season. His mother’s voice, cautioning them about getting sick, echoes gently in the background, heightening the sentimentality of the piece.
Listen to Mádibá here:
This album on loud, will make you weep. It’s a testimony to the inherent connection music has to the divine.
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