Man of two voices.

April 30, 2016 5:23 AM

It's entirely possible that you haven't heard anyone quite like Ghana's King Ayisoba.

King Ayisoba profile at GhanaWeb
Bandcamp
Facebook
Some King Ayisoba songs streamable at The Wire

posted by flapjax at midnite (13 comments total)

This track from him is really killer, too: Neera Nonge a Menga
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:27 AM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]

And he's really working that kologo on this one: Awudome
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:32 AM on April 30, 2016

Here's another kologo player and singer with some serious flavor: Stevoo Atambire
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:37 AM on April 30, 2016 [2 favorites]

Two voices? Well he's got nothing on Clarence Frogman Carter -- who has three!
posted by Modest House at 6:06 AM on April 30, 2016 [2 favorites]

Heh. I love Frogman, too!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:08 AM on April 30, 2016

Oh, King Ayisoba has plenty of voices, at least three: "One voice from animals. And one voice from my grandfather. And one voice from night."

(from a short interview with Ayisoba at Roskilde in 2014 where he talks about his name, his music, and his voices, which I found by going "huh, an old Volvo in Ghana, that's unusual" when skimming over some "related" thumbnails and clicking around a bit).
posted by effbot at 7:06 AM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]

I won't for get him, and the rare beauty of his chant.

So sorry that lady had a desperate need for her backpack in the middle of a recording. Edit her out. The hair, the clothes, unique projection best thing I have heard this week.
posted by Oyéah at 8:46 AM on April 30, 2016

Well and, my cats woke up from a sound sleep when the music came on, and came to stand between me and the computer screen. They were not satisfied until I left the room. Ha ha ha.
posted by Oyéah at 9:26 AM on April 30, 2016

Wow, this is great.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:50 AM on April 30, 2016

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest either a connection or an influence by Jamaican dub singers like Eek A Mouse and Lee Perry.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:01 AM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]

Reminds me of Captain Beefheart.
posted by neon meat dream of an octofish at 12:49 PM on April 30, 2016

Like Oyéah's, my cats were deeply concerned by the second voice, waking up from a nap to give me a concerned look. But ultimately, it wasn't enough to keep them from snoozing.
posted by gusandrews at 1:00 PM on April 30, 2016

ahhh, Stevoo's video is making me so nostalgic for African dance class!
posted by gusandrews at 1:04 PM on April 30, 2016