Somi - The Lagos Music Salon (2014) [CD Rip]

"All elegance and awe...utterly captivating!" - Billboard

Few contemporary albums bare as particular a narrative as "The Lagos Music Salon". The new album by the superb chanteuse Somi, finds her breaking new ground with a hybrid style of music that organically integrates the essence of jazz and soul with the musical depth of her African heritage. "It's the first time ever that I put all other pursuits on hold to focus solely on the creative process," says Somi, who moved to Lagos, Nigeria from her New York home with a passionate desire to find a new direction for her vision and voice.

"The Lagos Music Salon" marks Somi's major label debut for OKeh Records and is the follow up to her last studio album, "If the Rains Come First," which debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart. The album features a range of original songs that are sublimely melodic and percussively textured. A socially informed and adventurous vocalist, Somi sings with a soulful beauty about her experiences in Lagos. The album covers a broad swath of styles and features guest performances that include a fast-paced groove with Afro-pop sensibilities on the Fela Kuti-inspired "Lady Revisited" with Angélique Kidjo, and a rap-influenced cinematic reflection on Africa s pollution, "When Rivers Cry," featuring Common.