Nneka - No Longer At Ease

Nneka is a one-woman melting pot, the product of a Nigerian upbringing and a German university education, but her music is where the real dizzying mix is found: a heady blend of sunny Afrobeat, US soul in the Erykah Badu vein and glacial Eurodance, with the odd rock riff for good measure. The tension between the cultures that shaped Nneka allow her to create unique protest songs, as capable of making your feet move as they are of making you think. Although blessed with a naturally soulful voice, she has the foresight not to overuse it, straying into rap and spoken word as she delivers state-of-the-nation lyrics focusing on her beloved Africa. The only real chink in Nneka's armour is her tendency to pack as many words as she can into each track, as if desperate to get her message across. She doesn’t need to: someone this talented is going to have our ear for a while yet.