Owiny Sigoma Band
Power Punch
Release Date: Apr 16, 2013
Genre(s): International
Record label: Brownswood
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Album Review: Power Punch by Owiny Sigoma Band
Great, Based on 4 Critics
Based on rating 4/5
Their debut was one of the best fusion experiments of recent years, with its clash of traditional Kenyan styles and contemporary British electronica, and here's a second set to prove how well the collaboration works. This time round, the nyatiti lyre exponent Joseph Nyamungu has travelled to London with Luo drummer Charles Owoko to record with keyboard player Jesse Hackett and other members of the Elmore Judd collective, and the results are even more attacking and confident than before. Once again, there's a fusion of east African and western influences, and many of the best tracks are dominated by the Kenyans.
Based on rating 4/5
The Euro-African import-export trade continues in full swing. This London-Nairobi troupe were spawned in Kenya when five young Brits met Joseph Nyamungu, a master of the eight-stringed African lyre. Their debut brought deft techno touches to Kenya's nyatiti tradition, while this follow-up, for which Joseph and friends came to London, deepens the alchemy.
Based on rating 6/10
What do you get when a group of London musicians travels to Nairobi, Kenya and meet up with a couple of natives who are equally as passionate about music? The Owiny Sigoma Band, of course. It wasn’t exactly planned. It all started when when Jesse Hackett (keys), Louis Hackett (bass), Sam Lewis (guitar), Chris Morphitis (bouzouki/guitar), and Tom Skinner (drums), headed to Kenya to participate in Art of Protest, a voluntary organization that promoted local music.
Opinion: Fantastic
Owiny Sigoma Band’s debut was released two years ago after a group of London-based musicians travelled to Kenya to collaborate with nyatiti master musician and music teacher Joseph Nyamungu and Luo drummer Charles Owoko. The results on the self-titled disc seemed to reflect on the visitors quickly learning from their hosts, as they produced a set of songs largely based on traditional Luo folk, comprised of irregular rhythms, with poppier songs like 'Wires’ and 'Here On The Line’ representing the English musicians’ influence. Click here to listen and buy on eMusicTheir second album, Power Punch!!!, sees the dynamic reversed, as the duo from Nairobi make the trip to London to this time learn a thing or two from the quartet of Jesse Hackett (vocals, keys), Louis Hackett (bass), Sam Lewis (guitar) and Tom Skinner (drums).
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