My knowledge of African music can be summed up thusly: African music originates from Africa. There, that’s it. Maybe throw in the fact that Remain in Light was influenced by African polyrhythms, but, admittedly, that’s a stretch. It is with this disclosure that I am reviewing the first international release from West African native Hermas Zopoula entitled Espoir. Zopoula sings in four languages here (English, French, Sissali and Dioula) but since I can only speak English, I can’t quote any lyrics without it being an exercise in futility. So I shall stick to the (fantastic) music.Espoir has a very modern Caribbean flavor that permeates this collection of updated Afro-pop. Think Pitbull’s last few discs but without all the juvenile shouting in Spanglish. It should come as no surprise, then, that the programmed drums propel the songs forward. The tracks are calculated to the point where the entire album has a perfection-obsessed feel and it’s used as a catalyst to further the songwriting. African music has always been complex in nature, so it only makes sense that Afro-pop ”“ especially modern ”“ would be layered ad infinitum. Opener ‘Wend Nana Dounia’ has four different hooks by itself: a call-and-response vocal, a propulsive horn riff, a dancing guitar lick and a slightly buried balafon (?!). And that’s just one song. That said, the album also offers simple (or simpler) song structures, the best example being the title track. Over the most straightforward beat of the entire record, acoustic guitars hover over the vocals while a background synth line gently washes over the entire concoction. It’s simple, yes, but still wonderful.Perhaps the one drawback of the record, unfortunately, is found in the only song with an English title, ‘Attention.’ That drawback is the use of auto-tune. It wouldn’t normally be an issue but considering that auto-tune has flooded the American radio as of late, any song utilizing its, um, assistance damn near becomes immediately unlistenable. It’s more of a pet peeve than an actual critique, granted, but impossible to ignore. (Honestly, I can’t get away from this wretched program even with African music!) It’s a shame, to be sure ”“ the song itself, aside from the vocals, is quite the beautiful synth-driven, reggae influenced, slow-burning drifter. The lead guitar on the track is especially heart-warming and recalls the soul-baring style of David Gilmour.That one negligible complaint aside, Espoir is a collection of incredibly warm songs from a visionary songwriter. The man’s got a gift and without the help of Asthmatic Kitty, we’d probably otherwise never hear anything from Zopoula. Fortunately, fate intervened and here we are with this brilliant collection. What’s the Dioula word for awesome? 89%Hermas Zopoula on the Web