Akon releases ‘Trouble’ on Universal Records. Those might be familiar to Akon back in the day when the man was rapping or recently with his single ‘Locked Up’ that has sold well and gained a lot of airplay.

This album is a is a soulful, laid back journey into the world of brooding r’n’b. There’s a strong Jamaican influence there as well and the essence of the album is to uplift, gain positivity in difficult

situations and provides a message learnt through life. Akon has a lot of soul and sings like a man who has experienced pain and happiness. He has an original and honest voice that oozes serenity and genuine meaning. The beats roll along in a well orchestrated fashion. They’re quite minimal, simple and have a roots feel. You have real feel good tracks like ‘Pot of Gold’ and real melancholy songs like ‘Lonely’ or more thug tracks like ‘Locked Up’. The music really compliments the mood of they lyrics and don’t overpower you. The production is different from the usual r’n’b we here so much of these days. It’s definitely got a more sunshine vibe steeming from the Caribean influence.

For me this album drifts along in a laid back way and makes good background music. The lyrics have depth and honesty that most could relate to. We’re feeling Akon’s angst and appreciating his take on r’n’b. Smooth rather than hard hitting.

http://www.akononline.com

Tareck Ghoneim