Culminating their five-year span in the music scene thus far, the collective comprises six talented creatives (Seyyoh, Tano Jackson, Joeyturks, Ansah Live, Øbed, and BiQo). Off the back of their appearance on Dazed100, successful tour across Europe, and homecoming concert in Accra last December, SuperJazzClub has released their new project, Monochrome Radio.
The collective’s unorthodox and dynamic approach to music, drive, and creativity has placed them as front runners pushing a refreshing sound and craft in a somewhat monotonous space. Their blend of Ghanaian sounds with global elements like R&B, Jazz, Pop and other alternative sounds was the foundation on which the collective was built. Their love for community and collaboration has earned numerous admirers, listeners, and fans in the country and the global diaspora.
The road to Monochrome Radio kicked off with the first single of the year OFF. This was how they introduced their new distribution deal with a US-based label and distribution company. Human Re-Sources. They dropped a second single 911 from some weeks ago. The two singles were also their way of announcing the project, adding to subsequent social media posts. They teased the project through still and motion posts, with the symbol M being the standout post during the project rollout.
The project arrives with three additional songs: LOOSE, FADE, and UNO, featuring Benjiflow. The project follows varied themes, highlighting different stories in content but offering a thorough look into the collectives’ dynamic sound. The tape is a sonic trip from their early days through the new phase they are ushering in while maintaining their originality of always finding a balance between the sounds they tap into for their music. They describe the project as “our expression of what we want to turn on the radio and hear, but more than that, it is our nod to the past and how the sounds we grew up listening to have shaped our creative outputs as new-age African artists planting our feet around the world.”
In the introductory song “OFF,” they delve into the twist of love gone wrong. It is the story of ex-lovers caught in the limbo of “what could have been. “LOOSE” is a song reminiscent of a highlife sound but with elements of Pop and R&B flows in the chorus. The song is something listeners would hear during drive-time shows on the radio. As the song’s title suggests, the song gets you to loosen up and be immersed in the sonic charm the song comes with. The clapping is bound to be a great audience call at concerts where everyone present can clap along to the singing. “911” is a song that talks about the boomerang effect. Thus, whatever one does will always find its way back to them. The song personifies karma as a killer lurking in the streets, ready to swing back at people. The chorus is a plea for help, which plays on the 911 code, often called when someone is in trouble and needs help. “UNO” with Benjiflow is a crisp blend of dancehall and afro swing that could become a club banger. With the groovy whine and bounce flow, the chorus will have a few people throwing whines and waistlines going crazy on the dancefloor in the club or motives. The song sets the tone for the final song, “FADE,” which takes us back to early SJC. The song is typical Pop meets funk and 90’s hip-hop.
The project is a perfect representation of what the collective stands for and what they have been about since its first single in 2019. Maintaining a simplistic singing style across all five songs, they still flow between moods on each song while intentionally taking listeners on a sonic journey. The diversity in the elements that come together to make each song speaks to the brilliance of the collective. The display of singing, rapping and ragga is another showcase of the group’s versatility.
The diversity in the sound is also symbolic of the music one hears whenever they tune into a radio; Well-curated playlists to fit every period of the day and mood. Early morning, mid-morning, drive-time, and late-night radio have very distinct sounds you will hear, bar a few cross-cutting songs. The writing, catchy chorus, content, and overall delivery of the songs and tape as a whole present a well-balanced listening session. The nostalgic edge of the songs, be it from the strings in FADE, the ragga-like flow on UNO, or the disco funk elements on OFF, there is something for everyone on Monochrome Radio.
SuperJazzClub finds itself in a generation and period where African musicians have the ears of the world. As such, there is a need to draw attention to the other amazing sounds on the continent. This helps widen conversations away from just Afrobeats. Monochrome Radio provides evidence of the diverse sounds present on the continent and gives consumers options away from the monotonous sound circling the mainstream. The project adopts the sounds and elements they have employed in their music to this point, giving music consumers a wholesome listening experience on their radio. Monochrome Radio depicts people who understand what they want, what they want to achieve, where they want to go and their commitment to seeing it materialise. An amazing body of work to usher in their next phase.
Written by Nana Kojo Mula
