From the name you might think Celtic trad, from the album title you might think indigenous Australian and on first listen you might assume French, but hip-hop three-piece Daara J are 100% Senegalese.
With a sound and sensibility that’s earned them a stadium-sized reputation in Dakar and beyond, Daara J have been breaking ground and defining the landscape of Sene-rap since they recorded their Mad Professor-aided debut in France in ’98. Boomerang is thus the third album from the “school of life” (as Daara J translates in their native language Wolof).
Its release here follows their recent recognition from the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, and whatever your stance on the sweeping, sometimes condescending nature of the ‘world music’ label, if it promotes quality marginalised music such as this then all the better for everyone.
“Born in Africa/Brought up in America/Rap has come full circle” rhyme Daara J in the excellent opening title track. This record is an eclectic journey through hip-hop, reggae, r ‘n’ b and Latino, with lyrical musings in French and Wolof, plus flourishes of English and Malian (‘Le Cycle’, featuring Rokia Traoré).
Stand-out tracks are many and varied, though ‘Esperanza’ steals the show for me. Guest producer Sergent Garcia brings together a happy marriage of Senegalese and Cuban music, with Daara J’s rhymes flowing easily between flute flourishes and a percussion section that will inspire motion in even the idlest of hips. The r ‘n’ b backdrop of ‘Hip Hop Civilisation’ sounds a bit dated, and the cheesy lyrical whiffs of ‘Number One’ will make you reach for the forward skip, but overall the album is a fine collection of well-executed party tunes. Reminiscent of those Marseilles veterans of hip-hop fusion Zebda, Daara J are definitely worthy of attention, but those that place militant standards on their hip-hop should be advised to leave their baggage at the airport... Or else get down your derriere down their live gigs, with Daara J playing dates in Dublin (March 3), Derry (4) and Belfast (5). See gig listings for details.