Groove
Funk, Soul, and International Reviews

Rocky Dawuni
Hymns for the Rebel Soul
By Brent Hagerman

Ghanaian reggae singer Rocky Dawuni is a freedom fighter for the modern age; his revolution is fought not only in studio and on stage, but, as the opening track informs us, in the global media arena of the internet. Dawuni's music is an excellent example of how alternative voices are using new technology to control their representation and get their message heard. "Download This Revolution" offers a salvo to Babylon; the tables are turning and the playing field is levelling — the global underprivileged now have a new front from which to wage rebellion. This warm, soulful album is filled with these sorts of heartfelt, rebellious songs: "Walls Tumbling Down" speaks of the rise of the downtrodden; "Master Plan" is an inspirational letter to Ghana; and "Road to Destiny" espouses the need to control one's life path. With Afrobeat, old school reggae grooves (check out the infectious "African Reggae Fever") and American soul all part of Dawuni's palette, Hymns for the Rebel Soul nourishes the body as well as the activist spirit. (Aquarian)