Lëk Sèn - Jèem (Jahsen Creation)

For this new full-length, Lëk Sèn surrounded himself with seasoned musicians such as Vi Avelino (former guitarist for Tiken Jah Fakoly), drummer Laurent Pena Vieira (Faya Dub, Baco Hiriz Band), bassist Valery 'Valess' Assouan (Kubix, Takan Zion, Big Red), and keyboardist Dave Kynner (Tiken Jah Fakoly). Mix and mastering were handled by Grammy-winner Laurent 'Masta' Dupuy (Alpha Blondy, Omar Perry, Bost & Bim, Ackboo). The result is an instrumentally tight album, flawlessly executed from start to finish.

The track list of 'Jèem' features eight new songs and two dubs. On the album, Lëk Sèn often sings in English, but we personally prefer his Wolof tracks, such as the acoustic 'Net Bi' (Wolof for "the internet", reflecting on young people's growing digital dependence), title track 'Jèem', and 'Sunu Mam'.

Our personal favourite on 'Jèem', however, is 'Thiossane' (Wolof for "tradition"), a pure Senegalese vibe featuring the voice of Montreal-based Senegalese artist ILAM. In the song, Lëk Sèn celebrates the cultural diversity that defines the Senegalese people.

Another standout is 'Tirailleurs', a combination tune featuring Nigerien griot Jhonel and Togolese rapper and activist Elom 20ce. The track is a tribute to the so-called "tirailleurs", colonial troops often used as cannon fodder by the French government during World War I (and later again in World War II). For more on this often-overlooked period in history, we recommend Cédric Condon's 2024 documentary 'Ils étaient tirailleurs, voix oubliées de la Grande Guerre'.

Back to 'Jèem'… the excellent 'Shine' clearly draws on Burning Spear's style, both rhythmically and thematically ("…follow the teachings of Marcus Garvey"), while the riddim of 'Ki Kan La' evokes memories of 'The Good Lord' by The Abyssinians.

For the album artwork, Lëk Sèn chose a piece by French artist Élips, depicting the Maison des Esclaves on the Senegalese island of Gorée.

One thing is for sure, with Jèem, Lëk Sèn is firmly back on our radar!