HARMONIK: Kompa Magazine song by song "DEGAJE" cd review!
PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:29 am
Here is our official KOMPA MAGAZINE song by song CD REVIEW of HARMONIK's latest.
*DEGAJE: Church choir intro...Euro pop synthesizer kicks off this uptempo that starts this CD....before it turns into a compas track. INTERESTING LYRICS and I wonder if there's a hidden message in there to someone or some people. Without even seeing the credits, for some reason, this track has a very strong DJAKOUT influence from the first time the keytar comes in, to that "CHAK MOUN NAN LA VI GIN YON CHANS POUL PASSE", and also to that trumpet part, to that "MWEN PAP PEDU CHANS PA M NAN", and that DEGAJE chorus. I'm going to keep it real....THIS IS A STRAIGHT UP DJAKOUT SONG.....disguised under the name of HARMONIK...featuring MAC D's voice. It will get radio plays for sure, and a little part of what intrigues me here is that it's a totally "NOT TYPICAL HARMONIK"; which makes me eager to see how the guys are going to work it LIVE.
*CHERI BENYE M: This song should have no problems whatsoever to become a hit song...if not mega-hit. Very catchy easy to remember chorus, GOUYAD/GROOVE factor guarantee, popular topic...providing that the double meaning is understood by all the listeners. NO...MAC is not asking his girl to bathe him with WATER....at least NOT the regular type of water....if u know what I mean
It's the kind of water KI FE NOU MINM GASON santi n "CHAMPION". 
THIS WILL SCORE BIG FOR HARMONIK!*IMPARFAIT: One of the first songs that caught my attention because of the MUSIC. Listen to the orchestration on this song, as well as an excellent vocal performance from MAC D. This will be a LISTENER'S FAVORITE ON CD talking about a failing relationship and how both parties should take the blame for the failure. ZERO FOT MUSICALLY....signaling Harmonik's intent on this CD to return to showcasing their MUSIC SKILLS, instead of going for the basics straight to the point GROOVES THAT PAYS THE BILLS from the last CD as told to me by Sanders. The song has ingredients in there for the group to do work with it LIVE....that part about CHERI MIN LETTRE DEMISSION AN.....but at the same time, you have to wonder if COUPLES coming to a party to HAVE A GOOD TIME and forget their worries, if they want to be reminded LIVE ON A SONG that their relationship NEEDS WORK, SUCKS, or is not that good. That's why I want to see how HMK is going to go at this track on the LIVE circuit....IF indeed they decide to play it; or if they will keep it as a CD ONLY TRACK for you to enjoy on your stereo player.
*MIN BON AN feat. MIKA: Will MIKABEN have the same magic with Harmonik that he has with Carimi? This song is certainly a good representation of the get together. I absolutely prefer THIS UPTEMPO to the title track because in my opinion IT FITS HARMONIK'S MUSICAL IDENTITY MORE than the title track. That "GOOD GOOD GOOD" part is going to work extremely well and I do believe that this is the uptempo from their CD that will will get them the better results if they push it. MIKA JWEN FORMULE HARMONIK LA, and I foresee a great working relationship musically between the two camps. $$$$ for MIKA in terms of GUEST APPEARANCES "LIVE" nan bal...to come play this song.
*INCROYABLE: Easily one of the 2/3 best songs on the CD. Grabs your attention from the opening note to the last. I looooooove this song, and I also love the way they made it work by having all 3 vocalists sing on the track. The lyrics are INCROYABLE. That song is on such a high level...the way they play it LIVE will be very crucial to how far this song goes. I foresee a hit....but you never know. This track mixes the LA RUE and SALON FLAVOR to perfection. BRAVO...BRAVO....BRAVO! Without a doubt one of the best top 7 songs in the entire HARMONIK catalogue.
*ENPOTANS: Another track about the FAILURE OF ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP. Sanble a couple of the guys were going through some "issues" relationship-wise during the recording of this CD.....2 MIZIK talking about almost the same thing; having said that, this song is good. I think they are going to have to MAKE A CHOICE between THIS song and IMPARFAIT as to which one they are going to push/play LIVE....because I think doing BOTH....being that the content is "almost" the same would be a bit too much. I think while musically speaking IMPARFAIT is better, but in terms of GROOVE READY....LIVE POTENTIAL based on the way that they worked it on the CD....."ENPOTANS" should be the pick "LIVE"....RANMASSE M...RANMASSE M...RANMASSE M.
*PAP NEGOSYE W: Reminds me of Nickenson from his first solo CD. Something about Nickenson on the vocals just makes me happy. I am a big fan of this song. I strongly request to Mr. Prudhomme that he LEAVE THE SAFETY OF STAYING BEHIND THE KEYBOARD and MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE STAGE when singing this song. Very strong potential to become a party favorite and CD favorite as well. I can't stop singing this song and feeling good singing it....even though it's not really what you would describe a feel good song LYRICALLY.....because Nick is complaining to the girl....but I love it. One of my favorites on the CD. DO NOT LET THIS SONG GO TO WASTE .....PLEASEEEE!
*FE MWEN KONFYANS: The "REWIND BUTTON ANMERDEUR" for me on this CD. The song that I keep rewinding over and over. That INTRO SAX is a killer. I call this song the UNOFFICIAL HAITIAN WEDDING SONG OF 2017. A "tour de force" from Sanders Solon on this song in every sense of the word. How can any human being who is either ENGAGED, JUST MARRIED, or about to make that next step in that relationship with their significant other not be MOVED by this MASTERPIECE of a song. WOW WOW WOW. ANWEYYYYYYYYYYY! This type of track about a guy telling his future father in law to FE MWEN KONFYANS in regards to his future wife....the guy's daughter. SIMPLY have no more words left to describe how much I love this song.....and I am NOT even in the situation that Sanders is describing in that song. HARMONIK....if you and Sanders manage to screw this track up by not pushing it and making it reach its maximum potential....I will be speechless. THIS IS THE KIND OF TRACK THAT AT EVERY WEDDING ....SHOULD BE A FAVORITE for the first dance of the bride and groom. TANDE W MUSIC MON DIEUUUUUUUUUUU!
*MOVE TAN: Song that was probably influenced by the hurricane that hit Haiti based on the messages being spread throughout the song. They also send a message about the politicians in Haiti. Good initiative.....Some good grooves in there by the way.
*SIMPLICITE: This track is a GOLDMINE. It will take some time to reach some, while it will catch others right away.....once it does.....GAME OVER. The track might have the title of "Simplicite"....but THERE IS NOTHING SIMPLE ABOUT THIS SONG. This tune could possibly be the best song written by Sanders Solon in his career. AMAZING....AMAZING....AMAZING. You must APPRECIATE MUSIC for this song to reach you. It is a MUSICAL TOUR DE FORCE that CONFIRMS Sanders Solon as one of the best composers currently in the business. He has been building his resume, and with this song TAKES A MAJOR STEP FORWARD in the conversation. My only issue...is FOR THE AVERAGE MUSIC LOVER, this song takes a bit too long before the motor starts running "JAN W POZE A...OU FE TET MWEN CHO", but the end result SHOULD be the same.....TOU GOL!
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FAVORITE SONGS: In no particular order are "Fe Mwen Konfyans", "Incroyable", "Pap Negosye w","Simplicite", "Cheri Benyi m", "Imparfait", "Min Bon An".
*BEST LYRICS: "Incroyable", "Simplicite", and "Fe Mwen Konfyans"
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*WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
A) In my opinion, they should have had at least one more UPTEMPO song on the CD. They have "Min Bon An", and "Degaje", but a third one would have added more balance tempo wise on the CD...as YOU WILL NEED THEM for PARTIES and FESTIVALS.,,,especially that the title track does not have the DNA of the group.
B) THE SONG ORDER ON THE CD: Everyone knows that MAC D is the vocalist for the band, having said that, there is no reason that songs sung by Sanders and Nicky are placed as THE LAST 4 SONGS THAT END THE CD. The CD has 10 songs...you hear MAC on the first six...and then he's OUT. I would have switched one of Sanders' songs further up in the order spot occupied by "IMPARFAIT".
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*WHAT I LIKE:
I liked quite a lot frankly. HARMONIK HAS NEVER HAD A BAD CD, so I am happy however that on THIS ONE, they returned to their TRUE IDENTITY as skilled MUSICIANS/COMPOSERS...the style true to them...Complicated musically to the average fan if you will...MUSIC SUPERIORITY (Except for Cherie Benyi m...; instead of just the "basics" that Sanders told me that they went for on their last outing before this one.) THE WHOLE TALENT ON THE MENU IS FULLY DISPLAYED on this one
The group has several potential hits on this CD that they are bound to "lose" one or more either because the song(s) might not be pushed enough on the same level, or the FANS just might decide to focus more on certain songs than others. The problem is YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHICH SONGS THE FANS WILL DECIDE ON....as it is never a guarantee. I thought "OU SE" and "BEL TI MOMAN" would have been among the hits on the last CD, the fans went with "ILLEGAL" and "MESI".
All in all, HARMONIK came back strong on this CD. THEY CAME BACK REALLY REALLY REALLY STRONG. With this offering, they have EARNED THE RIGHT to have their names be included in the conversation for 2017, and we will now see if this CD will make them in MAC D's words "CHAMPION" in terms of the results with the PARTY NUMBERS, or if they will be one of the major CONTENDERS in the HMI game for the upcoming year, or if they will become pretenders. I have seen bands just CHILL just because they felt they had a CD that would speak for them....relying on the CD "only"....Harmonik did just that with their DIFERAN CD..... only for the CD not to have the maximum impact it should have had. I CERTAINLY HOPE that they have a GAME PLAN for this one because THIS CD HAS THE TYPE OF MATERIAL ON THERE THAT HAS THE POSSIBILITY TO TAKE HARMONIK IN THE PENTHOUSE SUITE OF THE HMI TO GO CHILL WITH THE OTHER BANDS THAT ARE UP THERE. Will they capitalize? A SUIVRE!
I really enjoyed this CD a lot. I haven't stopped playing it ever since I got it. Congrats on a job well done.
KM!