Orlandoh still makes happy music
WHAT reasons could one have to hate a man like Emperor Orlandoh? Nothing. You can never tell whether he is annoyed or not. With a wide toothy smile and a balmy voice that can melt the stoniest of hearts, he is a jolly good fella.
By Joseph Batte
WHAT reasons could one have to hate a man like Emperor Orlandoh? Nothing. You can never tell whether he is annoyed or not. With a wide toothy smile and a balmy voice that can melt the stoniest of hearts, he is a jolly good fella.
The music he makes tends to mirror his personality. He has a rare knack for creating bright sunny songs that, often times, tend to be repetitive. This all goes back to the early days with the late Menton Summer. The dynamic duo gave us that jingoistic track Sirikawo Baby which proved to be as infectious as the flu.
As we prepared ourselves for more happy moments from the dynamic duo, Menton Summer died in a car accident on Tirinyi Road in April 1997.
Heartbroken Emperor Orlandoh went deathly quiet and his creative juices seemed to have dried up. While we were still wondering whether he would ever score another hit, in 2003 he sauntered back with a blistering Nankokona, a comic song about the perils of an extramarital affair.
In 2005, Faku Mudaala Gwo, his seventh album, was bought at $10,000 (sh160m) by money man Michael Ezra. After that, he decided to repackage himself, abandoning his dreadlocks for a clean-shaven head. He then went to the US and bought equipment to set up his own studio.
Today, Orlandoh is sticking his clean-shaven head out with a new 10-track album titled Si Nsonga. It is still the good old Emperor Orlandoh as we know him.
However, not all the music the big chap has dropped in our laps can be labelled as good, for for example Piga Makofi. The melody and lyrical content is very childish. But given a chance and the right production, Orlandoh can make the most of a recording opportunity.
He has tried to do that on Si Nsonga with producer Henry Nsereko of Pro Line.
On this album, Orlandoh weaved together roots reggae, dancehall and Afro pop sensibilities with a host of other producers like Ziwa Riddims, Washington Ebanyat (Yes Sir). The mixing was done by Joe Tabula and at Orlandoh’s Fat Drum Studios at Stella in Najjanamkumbi.
Si Nsonga is a dig at those embarrassing nosy folk who tend to remind everyone who has made it to the top about their humble background.
And the emperor reminds them in very straight terms: “Don’t dwell on my past. Let’s talk about the present. It is what matters.â€
Thanks to its commonsense lyrics Cinderella offers a reggae beat with a distinctive African flavour
There is also a good measure of social commentary in Simba.
It resonates a sensual undertone with an adult theme that can be appreciated by environmentalists. This track, which grinds out to a south Mbaqanga-flavoured beat, gets my choice for the standout track.
Orlandoh has succeeded in creating a nice, easy listening CD as attested to by the other tracks Glass Etangala, Youth, Yes Sir, Gyila Tuegende, Sente and Bigenda. All are hook filled, radio friendly goodies.
WHAT reasons could one have to hate a man like Emperor Orlandoh? Nothing. You can never tell whether he is annoyed or not. With a wide toothy smile and a balmy voice that can melt the stoniest of hearts, he is a jolly good fella.
The music he makes tends to mirror his personality. He has a rare knack for creating bright sunny songs that, often times, tend to be repetitive. This all goes back to the early days with the late Menton Summer. The dynamic duo gave us that jingoistic track Sirikawo Baby which proved to be as infectious as the flu.
As we prepared ourselves for more happy moments from the dynamic duo, Menton Summer died in a car accident on Tirinyi Road in April 1997.
Heartbroken Emperor Orlandoh went deathly quiet and his creative juices seemed to have dried up. While we were still wondering whether he would ever score another hit, in 2003 he sauntered back with a blistering Nankokona, a comic song about the perils of an extramarital affair.
In 2005, Faku Mudaala Gwo, his seventh album, was bought at $10,000 (sh160m) by money man Michael Ezra. After that, he decided to repackage himself, abandoning his dreadlocks for a clean-shaven head. He then went to the US and bought equipment to set up his own studio.
Today, Orlandoh is sticking his clean-shaven head out with a new 10-track album titled Si Nsonga. It is still the good old Emperor Orlandoh as we know him.
However, not all the music the big chap has dropped in our laps can be labelled as good, for for example Piga Makofi. The melody and lyrical content is very childish. But given a chance and the right production, Orlandoh can make the most of a recording opportunity.
He has tried to do that on Si Nsonga with producer Henry Nsereko of Pro Line.
On this album, Orlandoh weaved together roots reggae, dancehall and Afro pop sensibilities with a host of other producers like Ziwa Riddims, Washington Ebanyat (Yes Sir). The mixing was done by Joe Tabula and at Orlandoh’s Fat Drum Studios at Stella in Najjanamkumbi.
Si Nsonga is a dig at those embarrassing nosy folk who tend to remind everyone who has made it to the top about their humble background.
And the emperor reminds them in very straight terms: “Don’t dwell on my past. Let’s talk about the present. It is what matters.â€
Thanks to its commonsense lyrics Cinderella offers a reggae beat with a distinctive African flavour
There is also a good measure of social commentary in Simba.
It resonates a sensual undertone with an adult theme that can be appreciated by environmentalists. This track, which grinds out to a south Mbaqanga-flavoured beat, gets my choice for the standout track.
Orlandoh has succeeded in creating a nice, easy listening CD as attested to by the other tracks Glass Etangala, Youth, Yes Sir, Gyila Tuegende, Sente and Bigenda. All are hook filled, radio friendly goodies.