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CD Review (excerpt from longer article)
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Boston Globe, CD Review (excerpt from longer article) >>
Eccodek
More Africa in Us
WhtieSwan
Eccodek, the electronica project of Canadian producer Andrew McPherson, has won acclaim north of the border but, until now, had yet to see a US release. Titled as a respectful reply to a Brian Eno quip about the souOessness of computers, "More Africa in Us" layers sampled vocals by two singers one Rwandan, the other Malian over chilled-out keyboards, noodling guitars, and mainly down-tem po beats. With lavish and proficient use of dub technology, this is a highly listenable atmospheric record, but the 10 tracks fail to assume separate identities, let alone leave an enduring effect. Just what is "African" here is not clear; the disembod ied vocals function for effect, not mean ing, and the overall sound drifts danger ously close to global coffee-shop pap. In fairness, this album came out in Canada three years ago; its 2005 successor, "Voices Have I^es,M features more ac complished vocal guests and allows them more creative input. Pending that album's US release, slated for next year, "More Africa in Us" serves as a taste of McPher- son's undeniable talents as a sonic archi tect, but also as a reminder that merely name-checking Africa does not in itself confer soulfulness, let alone edge.
ESSENTIAL TRACK: "Bodhichitta Dub"
-Siddhartha Mitter
09/01/06
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