Studio Cameroon

Nyolo, Sally and the Original Bands of Yaounde – Studio Cameroon
Reviewed by Sadie O., 12/19/06
Collection of local Cameroonian artists, party vibe. The story is that Nyolo, an ex-pat Cameroonian and former member of Zap Mama, as well as huge star in her own right, went back to her homeland to try to record as much of the local music as possible, and set up her own studio there. The mood is definitely informal and often quite joyous. There is some sort of percussion instrument that sounds to me like a marimba (balafon?), although I can’t seem to find it in the liner notes, so I might be a complete dork… All of it is very pretty.
No FCCs – nothing in English. I like 13 best, but it’s all sweet.
1. ***garage rock guitar and a great bit of ululation lead into low-key funky midtempo groove with sweet male call and response vocals.
2. **shaken percussion, pretty guitar reminiscent of some South African sounds, uptempo song with complex female harmonies and hand percussion, including some sort of marimba.
3. *shaker and female call and response, instruments build slowly to a midtempo loping Reggae groove. Music drops out for much of last minute, leaving vocals over street sounds.
4. **very pretty, somewhat uptempo marimba and guitar combo, big chorus.
5. *minimalist slightly uptempo but relaxed music with pretty male solo and female chorus. Very pure African sound.
6. ***takes a couple seconds to get going, then relaxed midtempo marimba and guitar instrumental. Really quite lovely.
7. **female lead vocals and choral response, almost a spiritual vibe.
8. *repetitive uptempo guitar line, male vocals and female response. Dude is talking all KINDSA stuff…
9. *lots of percussion and rather muted female vocals with pretty chorus. Interesting bit of vocalized percussion.
10. **percussion and male vocals, very hypnotic and extremely roots.
11. ***midtempo guitar-based groove with male vocals in French.
12. **extremely relaxed and wistful-sounding music with ultra-pretty female vocals and harmonies.
13. ****downtempo but strong rhythm, earthy and bluesy male vocals in French.
14. **midtempo marimba and whistle, solo male vocals and chorus, upbeat.