The new album is Ola Onabule’s eighth collection and it is a toe-tapping, infectious blend of jazz, soul and world music. These wonderful melodies and thrilling beats are infused with thoughtful lyrics, touching on the subject of belonging and identity, hope and love.
The topic of identity seems to interest Ola greatly. reflecting his own British-Nigerian roots. Onabule was born in London. However, at the age of seven he moved to Lagos, Nigeria. Spending 10 years in West Africa he returned to the U.K. aged 17, and he moved into his musical career.
Not only does Ola consider the global interconnectedness of the world, enlivened through his U.K. and Nigeria continent hopping, he also contrasts the upheavals with Nigeria’s political system (since its independence from the U.K. in 1960 the country alternated between democratically-elected civilian governments and military dictatorships until achieving a measure of stability in 2000) with his environmental lushness, with many parts of the country the epitome of paradise.
The African influence is more apparent in the ‘It’s the peace that deafens’ than with Ola’s previous work, with an African folk texture underlying the soulful vibes and rhythmic beats. The dialectic of Western and African musical influences provides a canvass for Ola to explore the themes of our (and his) place in the world.
One of Ola’s great gifts is his vocal range. More often he sings in a deep, expressive baritone. This distinctive tone rises and falls, twists and turns as the rhythms of the music alter. With this expressive range, and one interconnected to the music, Stevie Wonder or Nat King Cole are probably his only vocal peers. The album opens with ethereal ballad titled ‘ Dark Matter’, which draws the listener in and places a blanket of comforting sound around them.
Ola has good team of musicians behind him, edging out rapturous jazz, beats, soul, and layer of funk, through the use of trumpet, guitar, bass, drums and percussion. Although various musicians are used, Ross Stanley, Peter Adams, John Parricelli, Jack Pollit, and Will Fry appear on the majority of the tracks.
The title track of the album is shown in the video below:
The song is touching, beautifully composed, with introspective and thoughtful lyrics. The song seems to be arguing that the collective voice of peace can ultimately challenge and overcome oppression or injustice. It’s the peace, as a protective blanket, that, ultimately, we’d all like to inhabit.
Other notable songs are ‘Love Again’, with a superb catchy guitar lick; ‘ In Your Shoes’, which is a little-bit bluesy (and none the worst for it); and a funky ‘ Patience Endures.’
The stand out track is ‘Invincible’, which will make many listeners feel good, reiterating the strength that can be drawn from love and a refute to those who do not think love (where ever it is directed) can overcome any of life’s obstacles. This wonderfully crafted, rhythmically structured song could become Ola’s signature song.
Our love, the invincible cord
That binds us
To a promise that cannot be broken
By one never sworn to the cause
The album closes with, appropriately, a track called “In The End,” where the Nigerian influence returns with a powerful and poetic punch. A great way to close out a magic hour of listening.
Based on these offerings it’s a mystery why Ola isn’t better known and peaking in the upper reaches of the charts around the world. He certainly is a unique talent. Digital Journal recently reviewed Ola in concert in London, where the performance was as good as you’d expect from listening to the album.
The album’s track listing is: 1 Dark Matter | 2 The Girl That She Was | 3 Jankoriko | 4 Love Again | 5 Patience Endures | 6 Herbs for your heartache | 7 The Peace That Deafens | 8 The Voodoo | 9 Invincible | 10 In Your Shoes | 11 Orunmila | 12 In The End
The album is available on Dot Time Records. Digital Journal rates it 5 out of 5.
