"Last September, Genesis Owusu road-tested material from his then-untitled third album at three intimate gigs at Sydney Opera House. Performing in the round for adoring fans, he radiated the confidence of an artist sharing music he deeply believes in. What made the new songs so arresting were the contrasts snarling punk intermingling with neosoul and dexterous hip-hop all grounded in Kofi Owusu-Ansah's magnetic charisma. Even then, months before the album's release, it was clear the next era of the Ghanaian Australian artist would be something special."
"Now titled Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, Genesis Owusu's third album arrives with significant expectation after its predecessors 2021's Smiling With No Teeth and 2023's Struggler rode waves of acclaim and went on to win the Aria album of the year. Following the dense symbolism of those records, with their vivid imagery of black dogs and the unkillable roach, Genesis Owusu has made clear his latest exists very much on planet Earth in the 2020s."
"That intention is immediately evident in the album's first trio of singles, Pirate Radio, Stampede and Death Cult Zombie, all of which seethe with righteous anger while also serving as get-the-pit-going anthems. Across the three tracks, Owusu-Ansah skewers billionaires, alt-right hucksters and both casual and flagrant racism with equal parts vehemence and wit. Yet it's the dancey fourth single, Life Keeps Going one of his sharpest earworms to date, accompanied by a stunning video shot during his first creative trip to Ghana last year that most strongly hints at the genre-hopping found across the album's track list."
"Beyond the singles, the depth of feeling across Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge makes a strong case for the durability of the album format. After the opening salvo of Pirate Radio and Stampede, the record exhales into the sleazy, richly textured funk of Hellstar, with a rakish performance by Owusu-Ansah alongside a brief turn from US rapper Duckw"
Genesis Owusu road-tested new material at intimate Sydney Opera House gigs, performing in the round with confidence and charisma. The songs combined snarling punk, neosoul, and dexterous hip-hop, signaling a standout next era for the Ghanaian Australian artist. His third album, Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, follows acclaimed predecessors and arrives with high expectations. The album’s first singles—Pirate Radio, Stampede, and Death Cult Zombie—deliver righteous anger and pit-starting anthems that target billionaires, alt-right figures, and racism. Life Keeps Going adds a dancey, earworm quality and is paired with a video shot during a creative trip to Ghana. The album continues with funk and textured performances, supporting the durability of the album format.
#genesis-owusu #redstar-wu--the-worldwide-scourge #genre-blending #political-satire #funk-and-hip-hop
Read at www.theguardian.com
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