Benon & Vamposs: I Know
By Keith Hannaleck
- Artist: Benon & Vamposs
- Title: I Know
- Genre: Reggae-R&B-Hip Hop
- Label: NTICE MEDIAWORKS
- Website: www.benonandvamposs.net
It is not a frequent event to have the opportunity to listen, enjoy, and then review a unique band from Uganda. The duo Benon & Vamposs are stars in Uganda, a literal hit machine there with the potential to spread their wings and take off with the right representation on much larger scale.
I Know is a 14-track treat filled with reggae, R & B, hip-hop and some sweet pop around the edges for extra polish. This is eclectic music and anyone that has a penchant for world music and preferably an open mind to discover something entirely different, this album can be a goldmine of discoveries.
Many of the tracks feature their Ugandan dialect but it does not seem to matter because they are so smooth, the beats are irresistible, and somehow you get the feeling that whatever it is they are singing about means well and feels so lighthearted that it comes at you with complete joy. They did at times at times remind me of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whom I have always respected and admired, then found myself totally blown away when I saw them perform live. That is another story though.
The highlight tracks for this listener where as follows:
“My Lady” a pop nugget so sweet and smooth you cannot help but melt right in your seat when you first hear it.
“I Know” is filled with an undying spirit and a significant feeling of pure love comes shining through. This one is a real heat seeker for the singles charts if they decide to release it as such.
“Mambo” is the track that put the icing on the cake for me and summed up the entire recording. There is also a video for this track, which turns out to be a good choice, because it uses all of the duo’s many talents. It has that popular reggae beat with hip-hop mixed in and a story about the hardships of life with a message of faith telling you that if you take things day by day you will overcome the challenges you face no matter what the naysayers say. In addition, their example of growing up in the ghetto reminds us of how it gives you character and builds a tougher person to deal with the difficulties that may come your way. All three tracks are standouts and I think they all could be very successful singles. The rest of the album as a whole is very solid.
The last thing I would like to point out about I Know is the fact that it is produced very well and when the men sing in English it is very distinctive and you can understand every word. This is very impressive considering they flip flop back and forth from their homeland language to English.
Reviewed - January 1, 2009
** 4/5 Stars
Tracks:
- Nsazewo
- Mumuleete
- Nze Naawe
- Kankutwale
- My Lady
- Mpenzi We
- Sio Ukweli
- I Know
- Mambo
- Nkulinze
- Nsaba Omuveko
- Tina
- Wattu Wotte
- Tell Daddy
About the Author:
Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.
© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck - www.muzikreviews.com.
