• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Oct 31, 2014 Issue #51 - September/October 2014 - alt-J By Billy Hamilton

For a man in his mid-‘70s, Tony Allen still has a hell of a lot of reach. In recent years, the legendary Nigerian sticksman—once hailed as the best drummer in the world by Brian Eno—has imparted his Afrobeat influence over artists as diverse as Sébastien Tellier, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Flea.

His latest LP, Film of Life, exemplifies Allen’s continued dedication to his trade. Littered with labyrinthine beat patterns and sludging funk, it’s an album that combines rhythmic complexity with an insatiable desire to groove, creating frenetically infectious affairs like “Moving On” and the epileptic “Ire Omo.”

While perhaps not as era-defining as Allen’s work in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the cascading, electronic notes that glitch through “Afro Kung Fu Beat” and “African Man” suggest he’s still intent on exploring fresh frontiers—even if the soul-stained Damon Albarn collaboration “Go Back” feels decidedly retrograde.

Technically and musically, Film of Life contains plenty to admire and, more importantly, dance to. And while he may no longer blazing a trail, Tony Allen is continuing to prove that age is no barrier to his class. (www.tonyallenafrobeat.com)

Author rating: 6.5/10