Everything Is Never Quite Enough - Wasis Diop
June 23rd 2008 16:35
Everything Is Never Quite Enough by Wasis Diop
The sultry waves of Africa fuse into a western breeze to give birth to one of the most eclectic downtempo tracks ever born. Guitar, silky vocals and sensual percussions dance in utmost harmony for Senegalise guitarist / musician Wasis Diop's Everything is Never Quite Enough and take the listener to the heart of a continent where man and nature have learned to co-exist without yielding to each other.
Wasis Diop was born in Dakar, Senegal back in the 50s and had worked with many musicians who contributed to the diversity of his tunes and the rise of a salient figure when it comes to world music. Diop joined West African Cosmos, a band combining African music with Jazz elements, during the 70s and moved on to pursue his solo career in the 80s. Along the way, his path collided with avant-garde musician and saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu, grammy award-winning reggae and dub artist Lee Scratch Perry, Sade/Everything But TheGirl/Fine Young Cannibals producer and a patron of the Music Producers Guild Robin Millar and finally singer/songwriter Amina Annabi. This final collaboration led the way to "C'est Le Dernier Qui A Raison" and enabled them to win 2nd place at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Upon their Eurovision success, Diop gained significant acclaim in the Far East (with help from his long time fellow Yasuaki Shimizu) and finally released his first album, which was actually a soundtrack but sounded so distinct that it was considered a debut, Hyenas in 1993. No Sant followed in 1995 and featured his renown African Dream which made its way into the Biritish Top 40 list. Third album Toxu came out in 1998 and finally he released his long-awaited fourth release Judu Bék in May 2008.
Diop features American vocalist Beth Hirsch in Everything is Never Quite Enough. Hisch's velvety vocals reached international audience with French downtempo/trip hop band Air's first album, Moon Safari. She is famous for her soundtrack collaborations and has released three albums so far. Her flowing, sleek performance certainly takes Everything is Never Enough to the next level and adds a pinch of stardust into the downtempo of the track. The song first appeared at the critically praised soundtrack of John McTiernan's remake The Thomas Crown Affair.
Enter mesmerizing classic guitars, soft percussions and deep, ethnic vocals of Wasis Diop accompanied by tribal back vocals until Hirsch steps into the sun with
"Moments take so very long… who has time to fear it?
Trust is set on precedent—why should it be I who bleeds?
Giving you a little less, forsaking what I need.
Everything is never quite enough."
Trust is set on precedent—why should it be I who bleeds?
Giving you a little less, forsaking what I need.
Everything is never quite enough."
The darker tone is set with these opening lyrics and although this is a song that you can close your eyes and muse to, it is not one to be taken lightly. The lyrics keep underlining an important problem humans of 21st century are faced with a.k.a constant automation and cybernation of the world by the ever-advancing technology and its isolating effect on mankind.
"Let machinery fake my place… who has time to chase?
Digital is where it is; love can always be replaced.
Welcome to my consciousness, welcome to our race."
Digital is where it is; love can always be replaced.
Welcome to my consciousness, welcome to our race."
In a world where online social networking is an inseparable part of daily life and sites such as Facebook or MySpace are populated by millions, it would not be an overstatement to say that virtual is racing with the real in the beginning of this century. Although many might claim that there's nothing to worry about, the fast pace of living and consumption oriented approach of human need do not seem to be toning down anywhere soon. On the contrary, the world is getting faster every minute and those who are left behind are, well, self-proclaimed winners of their own gait, let's say. However, they rarely run among the front ranks.
This growing momentum and rising standards of living lead to harder-to-please individuals, dissatisfied egos and subconsciously troubled psyches. The song hits the climax as it remarks,
"Life was taking way too long…who had breath to waste?
Tired of disappointing you; bored with everything I do.
Every day there’s less of you. Me, I’ve been erased."
Tired of disappointing you; bored with everything I do.
Every day there’s less of you. Me, I’ve been erased."
And who could have stated and reflected this concrete alienation better than an African within whose genes rest a child of the searing sun, vast desert, harsh jungle, wide plain, endless sea and, above all, a child of freedom?
"In this life, nothing is static … The only danger is to not adapt, not travel, to stay in one spot, musically or spiritually." - Wasis Diop
Ink Blots
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy the album Everything Is Never Quite Enough from Amazon
Meet the artist Wasis Diop at Wasis Diop
Meet the artist Beth Hirsch at Beth Hirsch
Read the entire lyrics at Ferrydust
Browse music online at IMEEM
Buy the album Everything Is Never Quite Enough from Amazon
Meet the artist Wasis Diop at Wasis Diop
Meet the artist Beth Hirsch at Beth Hirsch
Read the entire lyrics at Ferrydust
| 94 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Anonymous