SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016

Review This file photo shows one of the lead singers Leonard Cohen old and from the South African group Mafikizolo performing at the MTV wise on ‘You Want It Darker’ Africa Awards held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban. —AFP

This CD cover image released by Columbia Records shows “You Want It Darker,” by Leonard Cohen. — AP

eonard Cohen’s late, late career resur- On “Treaty,” later reprised with a string gence reaches new heights on “You quartet, Cohen may be putting to rest the LWant It Darker,” an elegant treatise with relationship described on “Hallelujah,” with deep felt layers of wisdom and a sense of no room for illusions - “I’m so sorry for the finality. Produced mostly by son Adam, ghost I made you be/ Only one of us was real, Cohen’s third studio album in five years puts and that was me.” The Mediterranean stylings his most effective musical forms through a fil- of “Traveling Light” are like the soundtrack to ter of restraint. Nothing distracts from the 82- Cohen’s courtship of the legendary (and year-old’s haunting lyrics, and his vocals recently deceased) Marianne Ihlen on a Greek remain both otherworldly and down-to-earth. island in the 1960s. Africa’s music industry A physical, naked bass line drives the title “Leaving the Table” is a country song song, as Cohen’s woofer-rattling vocals are glowing from the jukebox and Johnny Cash changes tempo to local beat underpinned by a cantor and the Shaar could have recorded “If I Didn’t Have Your Hashomayim Synagogue Choir, connections Love” with Rick Rubin. If it’s too early to say emand for homegrown contemporary in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, rev- to his Montreal youth. Full of recriminations goodbye, we can consider “You Want It music is sweeping Africa and driving a enue from the music industry grew an estimat- and frustrations while also ready to accept Darker” as simply his new album, not the end creative boom in an industry otherwise ed four-fold in the two years up to 2015, accord- fate, it may be God who wants it darker, but of a trilogy. No matter which station of life D battered by falling CD sales and rampant piracy. ing to PwC. The growth streak is forecast to con- it’s us who “kill the flame.” he’s at, Cohen shines on, darkly. — AP A recent study of the entertainment sector by tinue, despite the country slipping into reces- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) accountants sion recently due to low oil prices. is also showed rapid earnings growth in many African forecast for a strong growth, at about 9.3 per- First Prince music to be countries, fuelled largely by live performances cent a year between now and 2020. by local artists. “Consumers are increasingly And African musicians are not only appealing wanting local content,” Vicki Myburgh, a PwC to domestic consumers, but also generating released posthumously director who conducted the study released last more interest abroad through tours and collab- month, told AFP. orations with big international names. “The rince’s label yesterday announced it will “Prince 4Ever,” with an attached 12-page book “The Nigerian music market... will (soon) African music scene has been very dynamic,” release the first posthumous music from of photographs. grow at nearly 13 percent annually, which is a said Claire Henoque, music promoter and owner Pthe pop icon including an entire second While consisting largely of the funk mae- fantastic rate.” This weekend, African talent will of France-based Tour-makers. “What is so attrac- album to accompany “Purple Rain.” The stro’s best-known hits from early and mid- be celebrated in Johannesburg at the annual tive is the ability of African musicians to blend announcement, made a week after a tribute career, “Prince 4Ever” will also feature the unre- MTV Africa awards set up in 2008 to recognize with other music genres.” concert in Prince’s native Minnesota meant to leased 1982 track “Moonbeam Levels.” Long those “who have made the most impact on known to fans, with Elvis Costello even cover- African music and youth culture”. Contenders ‘Breaking down boundaries’ ing it, “Moonbeam Levels” was never officially for the artist of the year category are Nigerian Young artists like Black Coffee, Nigeria’s D- released. It would have appeared on “Rave afro-pop stars and , South Banj, Don Jazzy and are now taking Unto The Joy Fantastic,” an unfinished album African afro-house DJ Black Coffee, Kenyan over from veterans such as Youssou Ndour and Prince discarded in the late 1980s. Potentially singer Sauti Sol and Diamond, a hip-hop guru Hugh Masekela to clinch deals and work with more exciting for fans, Warner said in a state- from Tanzania. The increasingly prestigious Western performers such as US rapper Jay Z. ment it would next year reissue Prince’s 1984 awards tap into the continent’s fast-growing “We see a lot of African artists now performing classic work “Purple Rain” next year and that it youth market and its expanding consumer base, and touring overseas,” Leo Manne, vice presi- would be accompanied by “a second album of with Africa’s total population projected to jump dent of music channel Trace-TV Southern Africa, previously unreleased material.” to two billion by 2050. told AFP. “And now you see the influence of Warner, which had agreed with Prince on African music in American music-listen to remastering the “Purple Rain” recordings before New rhythms (Canadian rapper) Drake. “African music will his death, said it would announce more details A few decades ago traditional African folk always influence global music. When the slave including a release date later. “Prince 4Ever” will music dominated the industry, but the trend has ships left Africa they left with the drum beat that come out internationally on November 25 but shifted. Now, driven by a hunger for local tunes continues to travel the world.” go on sale three days earlier in the United rather than output from the pop hubs of the US Saturday night’s ceremony, hosted by South States, a marketing move so it is available for US and Europe, African artists are mixing traditional African comedian and US television star Trevor holiday shoppers. Warner-which is releasing the African beats with new rhythms to produce Noah, will be broadcast live across the conti- albums with Prince’s imprint NPG Records, cross-genre sounds. “It’s the local content that’s nent, with US hip hop superstar Future also due which stands for New Power Generation-had a going to drive growth,” Myburgh said. “The one to perform. “Africa’s music industry is thriving notoriously complicated relationship with the sector that has done particularly well over the and growing,” said Alex Okosi, senior vice presi- offer closure after his sudden death on April artist. Prince in the early 1990s changed his last five years is live music. It goes to show what dent of Viacom International Media Networks 21, comes as his estate steadily moves forward name to the unpronounceable “love symbol” people want-they are prepared to pay a huge Africa, which runs the MTV Awards. “The growth on a business plan for his vast holdings. and wrote “slave” on his cheek to protest con- amount to go and watch a live concert.” is being driven by innovative artists that are Warner Brothers Records said it would next tractual terms by Warner, which sought to pace In contrast, piracy hollows out sales volumes. breaking down boundaries and reaching Africa’s month issue a 40-track greatest hits collection, his prolific output. — AFP “There’s lot of music being heard but not neces- enormous youth population through their sarily being paid for,” she added. Nevertheless, music.” — AFP