Arp Frique - The Seed (2021)

Fleet-footed soukous, calypso and funaná styles from Dutch producer Niels Nieuborg aka Arp Frique, lit up by a coterie of vocalists; Mariseya, Americo Brito, The Scorpios and Orlando Julius

Following his cherry-picked selection on the ‘Radio Verde: Cape Verdean Dancefloor Music’, and a pair of well received albums, Arp Frique taps into a classic sort of musical dialogue between the tropics and the lowlands , melding tight programming with bundles of soulful vocals and lithe instrumentalism. His recent single ’Nyame Ye’ opens the albums embarrassment of colourful, grooving riches, swinging from hip-house styles in ‘Way Ye Me’ and ‘Paa’ reminding of Teknokrat’s’ work with Les Choc Stars Du Zaire, to hi NRG zingers in ‘La musique du soleil’ and ‘Ecoutez’, thru vibes reminding of Francis Bebey’s synth bops on ‘Oi Quem Q’eu Nos Oi’, and SA bubblegum flavours in ‘Baba Love.’