Renowned for his production work for the likes of Jemimah Thiong’o, Esther Wahome, Nikki, Nameless and countless others, producer Robert ‘R-Kay’ Kamanzi ventures where many-a-producer dream of, yet few dare - the solo record. Yesu Kiboko Yao sees this production tour de force step out from behind the glass and move in front of the microphone, coming out simply as, Kamanzi.
 Choc full of signature R-Kay sounds, the record is filled with tight beats, great production and a stellar cast. Oscillating between bubble-gum radio-friendly dance jams (Kiboko Yao, Leta War) and thought-provoking musings (Swali, Yote) it’s good to see the artist-producer doesn’t cede all his phat beats to other artists, reserving some of his best work for himself. Maybe not the strongest vocalist, and his voice does get a little thin at times, but he seems to have great propensity for creating good music.
Title track Kiboko Yao is an up-tempo, feel good, certified dance floor scorcher, and a great way to get the record going. With its simple yet catchy hook, and with the vocal prowess of much under-rated powerhouse Mercy Masika adding some friendly fire, this is a jam crafted in radio-single heaven.
The good times roll on with Free (Piga Nduru) and Ngoma. The former, a pacy electronic-bathed number could easily be a club favorite, with Kamanzi not only tossing in an assortment of easy-to-remember dance floor chants, but also chancing his arm at rap lyrics. The latter, another phat urban beat, features relative newcomer DP, who contributes a street-smart hip-hop flow.
Acclaimed more for crafting up-tempo jams, its refreshing to find that Kamanzi shines brightest when the speed dial is turned down a few notches, allowing him to venture slow and mid-tempo reflective musings. Yote (Baba) is a brilliant prayer of surrender that brings in great vocals from Abby and Kanja. Even though large chunks are sung in foreign dialects, language barriers won’t deter listeners from identifying and connecting with this unadulterated worship number, albeit an urban worship one.
Swali is obviously the sleeper joint on the record, a most brilliant effort that showcases great songwriting. Here, Kamanzi is unafraid to be broken and vulnerable before his listeners, sharing his own very intimate story - leaving his war-torn home of Burundi and embarking on the unknown. In a perfect media environment less influenced by the pop sounds of kapuka, genge 
and what not, Swali has the makings of a top-selling single – a breezy mid-tempo cut with a dab of melancholy but still highly inspirational, all by an artist willing to be transparent and bear his soul.
“Natembea barabarani, sina nyuma wala sina mbele,
Nimekimbia vita nyumbani, natamani maisha tele,
Ninaomba barabarani, sina mali wala sina kitu,
Mimi ni masikini, si leo tu ni kila siku”
Nitalala wapi, nitakula nini, swali
Nitaenda wapi, nimetenda nini, swali” Unsurprisingly, and with varying success, collaborations litter the project. Mbuvi’s high pitch Kamba vocals can be spotted a mile away on Nisamehe, and work fantastically on this great prayer of forgiveness. Jonte is also featured on this, Kamanzi’s best vocal showing (albeit computer enhanced). Leta War is far less convincing, even though heavy-hitters Kanjii and Marc Njiri are roped in. A rougher more boisterous attempt results in poor vocal execution, drowning an amazing R-Kay beat. (Still, the song's live performance is great fun to watch).
:: VERDICT
Overall, Kamanzi’s debut is a great product, definitely worth the buy. His production is on point, not a single poorly constructed song – and that is a great credit! And unlike many of his production peers, Kamanzi is undaunted by the Christian tag – might not be standout songwriting, but the album is uplifting and evangelistic.
However, the tragedy is that the production is sometimes a double-edged sword. Even though the individual songs are good, if not great, the whole project has very little synergistic value – the sum of the individual parts is not greater than the whole. The album is by and large very percussive, with a heavy emphasis on drum beats. When even the ballads, which are meant to equalize the album, are head-bopping tunes, the listener is left with very little time to catch their breath, making an end-to-end listen very demanding.
Whereas Kamanzi is a guitarist, and splendid guitar licks are sprinkled throughout the album, the instrument is never really given center-stage. It is difficult not to imagine how much better the project would sound if some of the songs were stripped down, less urban, and given a more organic feel. Good to great.
Look out for Kamanzi’s debut, Yesu Kiboko Yao in your local music store.
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at Thursday, 10 April 2008 09:52
For a jamaa who has been doing production for the likes of Esther Wahome and Jemimah Thiong'o he should borrow a leaf from them in terms of distribution!!! I have been to like all music outlets I know since I first heard about this release and to my surprise the cut is not available!!! Where can I get a hold of it??
2"CONGRATULATIONS!"
at Saturday, 24 May 2008 13:08
Congtats! for being awarded producer of the year2008. May the lord bless you richly aqnd keep you!
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