Femi Kuti – ‘Journey Through Life’ album review: Political defiance and sun-soaked Afrobeat rhythms
THE SKINNY: It has been well over five decades since the world was first introduced to the pioneering sounds of Fela Kuti. The Afrobeat progenitor dedicated himself not just to musical exploration, but also to political activism and challenging corruption and authority in his native Nigeria. Today, his legacy is being faithfully carried on by his sons, including his eldest, Femi Kuti, whose storming new record Journey Through Life continues to fly the flag for politically active Afrobeat excellence, which pushes musical boundaries and challenges the political situation in Nigeria.
Kuti has been following in his father’s musical footsteps since the late 1980s. During that extensive career in music, the performer has managed to carve out his own unique sound, which pays tribute to his father’s legacy while also striving to create something modern and unique. Journey Through Life is an excellent encapsulation of that fact. Throughout the track listing, Kuti creates a rich Afrobeat tapestry, drawing upon influences of jazz, funk, and Caribbean rhythms while simultaneously calling out corruption within the Nigerian state.
Some of the album’s songs, including ‘Corruption na Stealing’ and ‘After 24 Years’, have been rattling around in Kuti’s repertoire for a number of years at this point, but they have certainly not lost their sheen during that time. If anything, their inclusion of Journey Through Life only increases their notoriety and impact, being two of the most politically-charged and passionate works on the record. Both of those tracks, in addition to other inclusions such as ‘Politics Don Expose Them’, deal with the enduring issue of corruption within Nigeria’s government, which Fela Kuti also sought to expose in his music all those decades ago.
On the topic of Fela Kuti, one of the starkest moments on Journey Through Life comes with the song ‘Chop and Run’, during which Kuti details the infamous 1977 military raid on his father’s Kalakuta Republic, which led to the death of his grandmother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and inspired some of Fela Kuti’s most groundbreaking and furiously political anthems.
The album is a triumph for Femi Kuti, reflecting his tireless dedication to his father’s legacy, in addition to his own artistic vision. It is worth noting that the musician carried out all the production and arrangement on this record, in addition to the songwriting and performance duties. That fact culminates in an all-encompassing feeling of coherence throughout the album, as if the collection of songs is one continuous message of hope and unity in the face of corruption and oppression. Femi’s father once declared, “Music is the weapon”, and that spirit certainly lives on within Journey Through Life.
For fans of: Liking history books and political theory, but wishing that they were easier to dance to.
A concluding comment from Ben’s girlfriend: “Finally. I have been searching in vain for an album that makes me want to dance, while also making me sit and ponder the tumultuous political history of West Africa for some time now.”
Journey Through Life track by track:
Release date: April 25th | Producer: Femi Kuti | Label: Partisan Records
‘Journey Through Life’: Opening the album is this lush track, which captures all the vibrancy and joy at the heart of Kuti’s Afrobeat sound, paying tribute to his past while also driving his sound forward into new directions. [4/5]
‘Chop And Run’: A more laid-back offering than the album’s opener, drawing upon influences of the Caribbean, Kuti delivers a stark account of the state of modern-day Nigeria, including talk of his father, Fela Kuti, and the infamous raid on his Kalakuta Republic in 1977, which left the musician’s mother (Femi Kuti’s grandmother) dead. [3.5/5]
‘After 24 Years’: Originally written and recorded back in 2023, this track sees Kuti continue to lament corruption and political instability in Nigeria. The song gives a truncated history of the nation’s leadership from 1999 to 2023, acting almost as an epilogue to his 1998 track ‘Sorry Sorry’ and its predictions for the future. [3.5/5]
‘Corruption na Stealing’: Having been an established anthem for Kuti for years, it should come as no surprise that ‘Corruption na Stealing’ remains perhaps his definitive work. Encapsulating everything that is so important and compelling about his blend of Afrobeat rhythms and defiant political activism, the song is an inarguable highlight from Journey Through Life. [4.5/5]
‘Politics Don Expose Them’: Another anthem of political resistance and activism, this track largely does what it says on the tin. An attack on corrupt politicians and lies, Kuti imbues the defiant effort with all the trimmings of Afrobeat excellence. [4.5/5]
‘Shotan’: A truly commanding groove permeates throughout this effort, making ‘Shotan’ perhaps the most infectious earworm on this record. Largely instrumental, the rhythms and grand compositions of Kuti are laid bare, without being overshadowed by lyricism. [4/5]
‘Oga doctor’: Awash with funk and Kuti’s effortlessly cool performance style, ‘Oga doctor’ reaffirms the musician’s mastery of the Afrobeat sound. His arrangement and production techniques are particularly commendable on this track, too. [4/5]
‘Last Mugu’: As we approach the later stages of the tracklisting, Kuti immerses the audience fully in an atmosphere of all-out dance defiance. Taking heavy cues from the world of jazz, ‘Last Mugu’ commands your attention expertly while reflecting on Kuti’s African heritage. [4/5]
‘Work on Myself’: A rallying call for unity, class consciousness, and introspection, the musician continues his manifesto of music and activism right up to the end of this triumphant record. [3.5/5]
‘Think My People Think’: Closing out the album with this six-minute epic, Kuti confirms his position as a titan of Afrobeat music, summarising his unique and enduring blend of politically charged lyrics and an endlessly danceable funk sound. [4/5]
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