A Musical Trip Through African Music

 A Musical Trip Through African Music

African music is very popular due to its unique aspects such as storytelling, social rituals, and how it’s intertwined with daily life. African music has fallen under many categories such as jazz, blues, and even hip hop. The origins can be traced back all the way to ancient civilizations such as Egypt. Below are two songs that can show the difference and how African music has changed over the years. 

“Zombie” - Fela Kuti (June 1st, 1976) Origin: Nigeria 

This song was one I wanted to include because it is older, but also because it has a powerful meaning behind it as well which may be hard for people to understand if they don't listen to this kind of music. Zombie was created and is about the Nigerian military and its methods that they use. The "zombies" symbolize the soldier's lack of will and purpose, highlighting the conflicts in the country during the time. 

Instruments: This song includes many different types of instruments with some easy to hear, while others are kind of hidden in the background. The horn sections are short stabs throughout the song while they add dynamic contrast. Another instrument used is electric guitars, which are unique in this song because instead of playing chords, they are playing short percussive rifts. Some would say the vocals could be described as an instrument due to how there are chants of the word "zombie" throughout the song. 

Rhythm: The rhythm in this song gives off a military feel as if it was a march, which reinforces the songs critique of soldiers. The rhythm also includes a strong emphasis on the off beats and cross rhythms. A unique part about the rhythm in this song is that multiple rhythmic layers are operating at the same time. Every instrument plays a distinct repeating pattern, but they all still interlock together nicely. 

“Calm Down” - Rema (February 11th, 2022) Origin: Nigeria 

"Calm Down" is a good song and a perfect reflection of storytelling like the introduction mentions a lot of African music includes. The song is about a young man who spots a girl that he is interested in at a party, but she is not interested in him. After the party, they stay in touch and she eventually feels connected to him. This song was Rema's biggest hit so far and is still climbing in huge numbers. 

Instruments: The kick drum is not punchy like a lot of newer songs, instead it is soft and provides a more relaxed feeling. Snares and claps are used in this song to provide the afrobeat feel and a laid-back groove. The synths used in this song are slightly detuned and filtered, giving the dreamy feeling as well as a warm atmosphere. High pitched bells and plucks are used in the chorus to create space and a bit of sparkle to catch the listeners ear and attention. 

Rhythm: The snares and claps land on the 3rd beat which is most commonly used in Afrobeats. Velocity in the hi hats are constantly changing the create a more humanely feel. The vocals are included in the rhythm in this song due to how they come in during the off beat. Unlike zombie, this song is more of a loop-based bounce, as well of instead of complex layering, it uses sparse accents. 

Both of these songs are unique in their own way which makes them different, but they still fall into the same category because of the cultural background behind them. The story telling is what catches my attention when I listen to these, as well as the rhythm. I have heard "Calm Down" before because of how popular it is, but I would have never known it was a part of African music until I did research on it for this post. 

Sources:

Wilson, Matthew. “Behind the Meaning of ‘Calm Down’ by Rema and Selena Gomez.” American Songwriter, Americansongwriter.com, n.d., https://americansongwriter.com/behind-the-meaning-of-calm-down-by-rema-and-selena-gomez/

Honigmann, David. “The Life of a Song: ‘Zombie.’” Financial Times, FT.com, n.d., https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/zombie.html