Review: Joi N' Juno - Samemala (The Album) (Canopy Records)

The Joi N' Juno single 'Samemala' got folks excited so you can only imagine how excited we are to hear 'Samemala (The Album)' that's out on Portufal's Canopy Records.

This looks feels and sounds like a Afrobeat release in the Paris DJs Soundsystem/Grant Phabao's Afrofunk Arkestra ballpark so perhaps no surprise the multi-instrumentalist, composer and full-time studio engineer to boot David Baluteau (aka Joi N’Juno) originally made a name for himself as the lead singer in the French band 'La Phaze'. 

Now he's 'grown up' he's found time produce his debut album as Joi N' Juno (is that an original Roland Juno keyboard on the cover?) but this ain't no 70s whiz keyboard music, it's rooted in the original 70s/80s disco/funk groove a là Rogers de la Niles (recommend his BBC Radio 4 chat with John Wilson aired this week - check it out HERE) with Ghanaian Hi-Life and Fela's Afrobeat and that soul-pop edge; Osibisa seems a big influence on tracks like 'Endialo' and 'Muzik' and 'Moky Danza'.   

You can also say their fantastic synths and horns on the album which makes it sound really of its time (Ed. that's "now" too!) - could it be The Ibibio horns on here that make it sound as good as the Sol Power All-Stars (see review HERE).

There's some really radio friendly tracks like 'Sond'eyamone', 'Don't Give Up' and 'Wake Up Song' but all the eight tracks are dancefloor/club ready so you know leading DJ's like Laurnet Garnier, Kiko Navarro (he of Afroterraneo - see review HERE) and Jimpster (by the way, did you know one of Jimpster's other projects was Loxodrome's 'Drop Out EP' (review coming HERE soon) are going to be ontop of this album; and you should be too!

Artist: Joi N' Juno
Title:  Samemala (The Album)
Release date: 1st November, 2024
Label : Canopy Records
Catalog Number : CNPY012
Format:  LP and all the Digitals - Samemala - Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music - Linktree / Bandcamp