Ghanaian activist, poet, and musician Lamisi (assisted by producer Wanlov the Kubolor) merges pop, protest, and an attunement to the ephemeral nature of life. Built around catchy melodies, club-ready beats, and lush textures, Let Us Clap spotlights Lamisi’s affinity for the au courant and reverence for the traditional. The result is a seamlessly eclectic LP, a cross between African purism and Western electronica.
Opener “Agul” interweaves dance beats and percussive handclapping. Uplifting lyrics are delivered via reverb-washed vocals. “Zane Ya Kinkin,” meanwhile, includes chanting voices undergirded by metronomic pulses. Electronic accents conjure city scapes while backup voices recall precolonial scenes – practices and content handed down for generations.
“No Orgasm in Heaven” is the album’s tour de force – an intersection of traditional and avant-garde sounds, galvanic beats, and shimmery hooks. The piece stands as Lamisi’s take on the carpe diem principle, as she urges (in English): “But no matter what, you only live once.” While the track tilts toward optimism, sonically and lyrically, the title points to a critique of patriarchal structures, the suppression of women, and Christianity’s devaluation of sensuality.
