Beneground – Douleur, 1987

🎸🎹🎤🪘🪕🌍 For his fourth album, Alexandre Douala signed to Kanibal Records and released Bénéground in 1987, which was as successful as his previous ones. Douleur is once again particularly well surrounded, even if the collaboration with Toto Guilaume has come to an end, and Valéry Lobé signs the arrangements (and holds the drumsticks). Willy N’for is on bass and José Palmer on guitar. In the tradition of Wake Up Africa, the lyrics are as much messages as they are vibrating to the sound of a nervous makossa enhanced by arrangements in which Manu Lima’s synthesizers take center stage. Musango (La Paix) is an instant hit on the track, as is the highly topical – and graphic – Travailleur Immigré, sung in French and Lingala, which opens the B-side. The piano notes that introduce Bebotedi, and the Latin groove of the track, leave little doubt that Mario Canonge is the keyboard player, surrounded by Bago and Michel Alibo. On backing vocals are Charlotte Mbango and Sissy Dipoko, as well as Stéphane Dayas. The makossa sounds funk on Bebey, then the album closes with Medewa, a pop-influenced Afro-zouk with horns from Alex Perdigon, Kako Bessot and Mam Ouari.