Tiken Jah Fakoly ADD

Review

Album Review: Sinsémilia – Un Autre Monde Est Possible

03/24/2015

They sold more than one million albums, were awarded double gold for several of their albums and platinum once for their single Tout Le Bonheur Du Monde, and played more than 1,200 shows during their career that spans more than two decades now. And yet, Sinsémilia never quite caught on outside of the French-speaking part of the world. But they had once paved the way for French reggae, as any member of Dub Inc or Danakil would happily admit. To celebrate their 25th anniversary (and their 20th as album-recording artists), the group from Grenoble, France affectionally referred to as “Sinsé” releases their seventh studio album.

Sinsémilia are known for their leftist/liberal, progressive political lyrics. In 2005, when their single Tout Le Bonheur Du Monde that features French tennis star turned singer Yannick Noah made it into the top five of the French charts, they were invited to perform the song live in the news of the TV station France 2. Halfways into the song, they played Bienvenue En Chiraquie instead, creating a media scandal in the country that usually ranks somewhere at the bottom of European freedom of press ratings–the song criticizes the dedemocratization in France in pretty frank words.

Thus, the title of the new album is no surprise. “Un autre monde est possible” (“Another world is possible”) is the slogan of attac France. The title track features no other than Tiken Jah Fakoly. Côte d’Ivoire’s biggest reggae star declares “An bè se ka dounounya yèlèma” (“We’ll succeed in changing the world”), before a sonorous, airy riddim sets in that evokes Malian blues à la Amadou & Mariam played in reggae. The world Sinsémilia and Tiken Jah would like to live in is one without national borders, without starvation and famine, one without the constant need to resist the armed forces of the regimes of ruling classes that live in abundant luxury, one that is void of racial, sexual or whatever discrimination. With 6:57 minutes, it is the album’s longest track, and the most haunting and progressive one I’ve listened to in a long time.

Other songs like the intense L’Éspoir (Hope) with its strong rock influence go in a similar direction. The quiet and acoustic We Miss Them celebrates some of those people who have dedicated their lives to fight for a better world, and its lyrics are in English. Reggae Addicts Connection unites Komlan and Bouchkour of Dub Inc fame, Balik (Danakil’s lead singer) and Yaniss Odua with one of the most promising artists of the youngest generation of the French reggae scene, Naâman, for a huge all-star combination that was basically made possible by Sinsémilia setting out a quarter of a century ago. The eminences tell their own story in Flash Back. And show an entirely different side of theirs in Tu N’Est Qu’Une M… (You’re Just An A…), in which Mike rides a digital riddim with ease. Barre Toi (Get Lost) denounces violence against women. The final Respire (Breathe) pleases with a rolling piano line and yet another strong message.

Un Autre Monde Est Possible sends a message that is more important than ever in France, where the fascist party Front National is getting stronger with every election. At the same time, the message is universal and will be understood almost anywhere in the world, if we forget the language barriers for a moment. But the music is easily strong enough for me to recommend this gem without any restrictions.