Funky Friday: Adioa’s Funky, Political Dub “Toubab Bile”
Funky Friday is a weekly(?) series where we highlight some music that is, well, funky. These posts won’t just focus on funk as a genre, per se, but albums that have that *funky* feeling. What does that mean? Not sure, but as they say: “we’ll know it when we see it.” Enjoy some funky jams as we head into the weekend.
“Toubab Bile” is a 1987 track from Senegalese musician Maxidilick Adioa who made this richly textured dub track that reflects on the Thiaroye massacre committed by the French against Senegalese soldiers near the end of World War II (there is more info on the issue and story via the Bandcamp link below). Adioa was living in France at the time, so this is an especially complicated situation where the song called out the country where he was living about an injustice that at that time had not been formally acknowledged. English speakers won’t be able to digest the lyrics, but the music is still worth the price of admission. The drums snap, the synths glisten and the groove will wiggle into your spinal cord. It’s one of those songs that, in the tradition of the best Dub Reggae music, lands both a serious issue and also is just a great musical accomplishment.
You can buy the digital version or 12′ Single of the reissue below from the Secousse label.
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