Cameroon-born, South Africa hailing Ajoh gets real on the realities of putting yourself first with a dreamy, minimal Afrofusion new offering, “Mr. Mago Mago”. But while her vocal prowess, melodic subtleties, and visual polish all deliver, there’s something left wanting.
Let me make something clear – Ajoh has a gorgeous voice. She tracks a pretty path through jazzy vaguely west African sound – all hollow percussive beats, jangling melody lines and the sort of warped guitar riffs which lend themselves to an undeniable psych-fusion tangent. But there’s something about the way her narrative lyrically unspools that feels a little tired.
Similarly the polished, fashion-centric, party-popper of a music video doesn’t quite match up to her storyline. But through the slick lens of self-preservation (aka fuck the proverbial Mr. Mago Mago and his games – a theme we can all get behind, I’m sure), she certainly flexes a whole lot of self-appreciation via a slew of gorgeous outfits and slick dance moves.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for a femme empowerment anthem, and Ajoh is packed full of potential – no, she’s practically overflowing with it. Only I’d love to hear something that pushes the envelope a little more.
Feature pic supplied by artist
