New Amerykah, Part Two (Return of the Ankh)

Erykah Badu took a look back

New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War, an album by extravagant female singer Erykah Badu was a straightforwardly political work targeting some top leaders responsible for military conflicts around the world and other negative sides of public life. Now, that one of these rulers has resigned leaving his post to a man who, as expected, inspires new hopes, the singer presumed to return to themes that are especially popular among people of arts. Hew new long player, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, despite the partially similar title, does not develop the ideas proposed by the predecessor, but offers new concepts. In terms of music, Badu travelled back to her early years. Neo-soul is once again a dominant force here. This should sound quite weird if you recall that Erykah is considered the founder of neo-soul. Yet, akin to seeking the new and changing the old, she gradually went apart from her original sounding. Now the history repeats itself as we came to where it began. Badu’s old fans are just about to cheer.

Powerful and colorful album New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War

Just like the last time, Erykah Badu presented a CD of eleven tracks. The album opener, 20 Ft Tall, is not a small hint, but a statement that you are about to hear new wave soul here, not only on the song, but on the whole album. This track is separated effectively from the following one by children’s yelling. Window Seat, under number two, demonstrates even stronger influence of the singer’s first works. Of course, Erykah could not do without vibrant songs with solid beats: Turn Me Away (Get Munny), and Umm Hmm. These are followed by a set of three compositions dedicated to the questions of love. It is announced even in their titles. Love is a funk music piece looking like the one taken from the previous CD. You got so much drive here that you might drop deadly tired before the song’s over. You Lovin Me is a just an interlude to help you get your strength together. Fall In Love (Your Funeral), and Incense are standup tracks, but the listener is destined to feel that there is something special in the very end. There really is. Number eleven is an eleven-minute massive song called Out My Mind, Just In Time. Indeed, Badu always knew how to close her albums.

Erykah Badu’s freedom

The twisting of harp, piano and most variegated samples makes even the idea of a one common style here impossible. Erykah Badu denies strict structures and tight frames. Emotions always made a stand against reason, rationality and order; and emotions are the driving force behind the singer’s music. Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh has astonishing first tracks. One perfect song is followed by an even better one. An experienced listener might suspect that Erykah mistakenly put the best efforts in the first half, leaving the worst for the second one. But when you reach the middle of the CD you realize it is intriguing you even more. Some tracks slow down and lack emotional charge; but it is done deliberately to let you take a deep breath and dive into the waves of the sweetest music. Creative freedom enjoyed by Erykah Badu enables her to avoid easily laws and stereotypes of music, which leaves her the only one to decide what her work would be like. This has been and is that way. Let us hope it will not change in the future.