Congo blues folk artist So Kalmery has a light acoustic feel to his music, a kind’ve Jack Johnson lightness, these warm subtle at times funky grooves coming from his acoustic guitar. It’s music for good times that lifts the spirits, yet also contains a strong socio political message. He sings in Swahilli and at times English in his own Brakka system, ‘Bra,’ means the first and ‘ka’ means infinity and also the mind. The approach is part musical technique, part philosophy, not sure what the additional ‘k’ is there for however. HIs music is borne out of an East African tradition linked with more current day blues, folk, reggae and pop influences. Previously he’s played with Papa Wemba, and this album is his first for seven years. On Brakka System he’s at his best on the more stripped down pieces such as Kamitik soul, where he asks ‘will we stand alone when we don’t believe we can?’ (in English), in a subtle late night acoustic ballad. His personal story though is horrific, orphaned at the age of 7 when his father was assasinated due to his close ties to the independence movement and this resulted in some displacement for the young Kalmery, traveling through Africa and ultimately Europe. It may be too easy, but you feel like you can hear the myriad of influences in the music of the well travelled Kalmery, which defies easy categorisation, yet also lacks any kind of edge.
-Bob Baker Fish
