Amok

Many artists would like to have a first album as good as Sweet Back's Amok. When listening to it one can feel the mastership only experimented musicians can display. At the same time, it is not a succession of demonstrations and solos, but a whole. No instruments are deliberately put forward, and even though the saxophone is sometimes leading the tunes, because of its tonality, Raggy never uses it as a jazz soloist would do. Strangely, the airs could have been written for a guitar, or another high-pitched instrument. But for one song, Amok is an instrumental album. "D.S. Vibration," this song, is sung by a beautiful and melancholic voice that overwhelms the dark side of the album. For there is a constant opposition between the joyous melodies and a certain sadness that gives the album its great intensity. On some tracks, the influence of dub aims at this peculiar atmosphere, especially in "Outro," the last piece of the opus. But Amok is not a depressing LP either: "Ma-Ma-Gyo-Mbo" and "Amok," with their catchy drum'n'bass undertone, can make anybody leave his seat in a hurry with a bad need to dance on his feet.