My Fairy Tales

Nneka made waves nearly seven years ago with her glorious hit single ‘Heartbeat’. However, her latest album is surprisingly flat. Originally from the Warri province in Nigeria, she has spent much of her life in Germany. This album is supposed to be a return to her roots, yet the playful funk grooves, highlife feel, and tight instrumentation from the opening two tracks are subsequently lost in a lazy haze for the remainder. Tried and tested formulas set the tone here, with lead single ‘My Love, My Love’ passing by unnoticed, similarly so the lethargic reggae number ‘Local Champion’.

What's most frustrating about this release is that Nneka evidently possesses great potential, but is unwilling to move out of her comfort zone. Her best-received output has been her collaborative work, and this album was a chance to celebrate and communicate her heritage. Yet, aside from the mentions of her spiritual inheritance on ‘Book of Job’, sonically this record conjures up the non-specific dub world of 90s New Age beats, rather than West African culture. Unfortunately, it is yet another easy-going dub record that may spice up the atmosphere of a pretentious coffee shop, but never a Lagos dance floor.