Delgres

Mo Jodi PIAS

Tough lyrics meet a variety of musical styles.

The message from this Guadeloupe trio might be earnest and deeply personal – slavery ancient and modern – but their music has a remarkable freedom, drawing on a seemingly limitless array of styles and influences.

What prevents it from being a well-meaning but musically confused soup is the clear-eyed focus that frontman Pascal Danae brings to each song, reflecting his own musical journey that extends far beyond his native island.

It starts with a sound that generally revolves around a resonater guitar, a flatulent sousaphone and a variety of percussion, before adding a welldefined and controlled bluesy groove. The result is, not surprisingly, highly distinctive, cutting across passing genres and giving the group a character that is always vibrant and often exhilarating.