#streamcaribbean - "EVERYWHERE I GO" by Kevni (February 2024)
Less than a year after "INEVITAB" (read the Karukerament chronicle), Kevni made his comeback with "EVERYWHERE I GO". I admit that this project left me puzzled. In a good way, that is to say, I remain intrigued because I still don’t feel like I’m the target audience, but I hear an artistic versatility that could make me the target audience in the future.
I didn't understand whether it was an EP or a studio album... I got the impression that it was an EP conceived as a studio album. An EP in the sense that, musically, Kevni has effective melodies with the lightness of Caribbean pop that stays in your head but the confidence of hip-hop and the danceability of dancehall. There's no single thread that ties the project together into a single category. The tracks follow one another like stylistic exercises in which Kevni excels every time. Nonetheless, we can indeed consider this a studio album, because the tracklist remains cohesive with the constant back-and-forth between his two favorite themes: the hustle life and romantic love.
With the opening track "Stoïc", Kevni embarks on a new chapter in his musical history. The English intro recalls the dilemma we left his character with at the end of the "INEVITAB" EP. Should he continue to live the fast life, putting himself in danger, or settle down and take the time to love and be loved?
His rap identity takes center stage on tracks such as "2-2", "BOSS MAN" and "A Quoi Tu Sers ?” [How useful are you?] No glorification of the hustle life, but rather a critical look at the loneliness, betrayals and disappointments that come with this way of life. "Everywhere I Go", placed in the middle of the album, clearly marks the solitary nature of this introspection.
Yet the desire to love is real. If "PROFÉSÈ" [Teacher] remains on the surface because Kevni positions himself as a savior, from "BEL FLÈ" [Beautiful Flower] to "SHEITAN", via "IF YOU KNOW ME" and "TCHÈ MWEN MALAD" [My Heart is Sick], we slip into the intimacy of a real relationship. In the end, it's the doubts and fears that stand out, as if true love remains an unattainable ideal. Special mention for "SHEITAN". Once again, as with "JIMAN" in the "INEVITAB" EP, Kevni describes raw sexuality without lapsing into vulgarity. I find it fascinating that a woman who knows what she wants always comes across as a demon... or at least as a supernatural being in the face of whom men feel defenseless instead of simply appreciating shared intimacy and vulnerability. In this sense, if the relationship does indeed endanger mental health, the break-up sung in "CONTRARIETE" [Upset] seems the logical end to this introspective chapter.
I'm coming to the same conclusion as last year. Kevni continues to assert himself in a Caribbean style open to the world. He tackles the theme of love with a sensitivity that can only make us anticipate the evolution of his vision of life in general. Perhaps we'll even be treated to songs about a calmer relationship between men and women. See you at the next chapter.
My Karukerament tracks
Everywhere I Go - the kind of track that can appeal to an international audience. A universal theme but lyrics sung in Creole with words that non-Creole-speaking audiences can pick up on, and a sparse arrangement that showcases Kevni's rapping and singing voice.
Tchè Mwen Malad (feat. Dory) - for a year now, we've been getting Zouk samples in all shapes and sizes. I've already spoken my peace on that. There's no need to use samples to make a nod to Zouk. This song is a successful example of staying in your lane while paying homage to our Zouk heritage.
Sheitan - it's a look at love through a globalized pop culture, but the dominant aspect remains Caribbean culture. I'd have preferred it as a title track instead of "Profésè", but it's the kind of ambitious track you have to have the means to defend, because there's a mix of cultural references that deserve a fair representation without clichés.