Musik / rock

Simido


Anmeldelser (3)


The arts desk

d. 20. feb. 2020

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Mark Kidel

d. 20. feb. 2020

"The combination of rock and African-syle where the rhythm guitar plays melody and the lead shares in the flow of polyrhythmic beats is at times reminiscent of the English band Foals, who pioneered this vibrant combination a few years back. As a primarily live band, there is a slightly disappointing but predictable absence of musical variety - these guys go instead for immediacy and maximum impact. But the common African roots of Caribbean music, rock and blues are conjoined here with delicious sensuality, crowned by Moonlight's soul-filled Vodou priestess's voice".


Mojo

2020 May

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Lois Wilson

2020 May

"Moonlight Benjamin says her influences include The Black Keys, and her band certainly share that raw attack. But her thrilling blues rock is singular, and that's down to Benjamin's earth-shaking vocal delivery - the definition of a big blues voice ... 2018's "Silitane" saw her transmit songs based in Haitian folklore and the country's struggle to an international audience. "Simido" builds on that impact, with mainly social commentary conveying frustration or hope via powerful raw emotion and heavy riffage".


Songlines

2020 April

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Nigel Williamson

2020 April

"[Moonlight Benjamin] is Haitian-born but has been resident in France for almost 20 years, and although there's not a great deal that's overtly Haitian in her music apart from the thundering drums, a voodoo spirit drives her music as she sings in Creole and most of her songs address the plight of the land of her birth. Backed by a four-piece French band, her brooding blues-rock owes much to the rawness of the likes of Alabama Shakes and the Black Keys. Above the sonic maelstrom, her voice booms with an almost scary power, particularly on the title-track and on the closer 'Kafou', named after a spirit in the voodoo pantheon and which she turns into a heartfelt tribute to the proudly rebellious spirit of Haitian culture. If the overall mood is somewhat bludgeoning, she shows she is capable of greater subtle on 'Pasay', a prayer to the spirits, asking them to help the Haitian people in their hour of need".