Review | Lyricson – African Dream

Lyricson has a strong Bob Marley influence that can clearly be heard on the late seventies sounding Africa Rise Up – with even a tinge of rock guitar. This sound would have been current around the time that Souleymane Boukara, aka Lyricson, was born in Guinea, West Africa. Morgan Heritage seem to be an inspiration too, as with Peace And Meditation (with Jah Mason also providing some fiery input) and as you may have gathered, this is a solid set of conscious roots rock from this experienced reggae singer. He began recording around the turn of the millennium.

Don’t get the idea though that this is “just” a derivative release. Yes, he may frequently be reaching back to a time before dancehall, but who cares when there are such beautifully uplifting songs like Lion’s Roar (with St. Thomas’s Jah Bouks), Betta Way with its tinge of vintage soul music in the melody, or What A Way with Jamaica’s Duane Stephenson. No One Can is a smoochy, sultry Lover’s track, a fine duet with singer Sister Rudo and featuring some lovely sax playing.

The songs are in English – sometimes Lyricson sings in French, but not here (with one exception). There is a strong Jamaican sound throughout, unlike some African reggae, but the arrangements are varied and always very melodic. The set was mixed by Jamaican Gaylard Bravo, but there are subtle African touches on many tracks – take a listen to the closing Black Man Liberation Dub, where they can be heard a little more than in the standard mix.

Of course, Lyricson pays direct homage to Mama Africa with the deep, deep sound of Mamadi Diabaté’s kora playing referencing the ancestors on Farafina, with several other traditional instruments too and sung in a variety of languages – singer Sekouba Kandia Kouyate also helps out. One source tells me that “Farafina” means “the land of the dark-skinned people who refuse to be dominated”, so that it fits this lovely album absolutely perfectly.