Lokal Krysis’ new groove is “Dangerous”

Every now and then, we hear new musical stuff that enrich, entertain and inspire us and the latest track on the radar that appears to perform those functions adequately is ‘Dangerous’ by United States-based Ghanaian multi-instrumentalist, Michael Yobai, also known as Lokal Krysis.

He was co-founder of the extremely talented Local Crysis band in 1990 that featured names like Rocky Dawuni, Kafui Dey, Yoofi Brew and Nana Fynn.

The band’s numerous gigs included playing at the Pan-African Festival of Arts and Music (PAFAM) in Accra, La Pleasure Beach, Music For Your Dancing Feet on Ghana Television (GTV) and at many Hall Weeks at the University of Ghana, Legon.

For his current stage designation, Lokal Krysis picked on the defunct band’s name, but with a different spelling, to continue the brilliant path they set out to chart.

His ‘Dangerous’ song is a mid-tempo, easy flowing song that initially puts the listener at ease with some lush, percussive keyboard intro. It, however, flares into a wake-up call for people to unite and rise against treacherous leaders and governments who have little respect for the folks they rule.

Delivered in pidgin English, a bit of Twi and Jamaican-style patois, the song doesn’t spare those in authority who have ‘abandoned the flock’ and ‘leaving lives of opulence.’

In the lyrics, his advice to ordinary folks is they must rise, unite and change the system controlled by those leaders ‘conning the people. ’

His choruses are easy to catch and they easily draw the listener in to identify with the issues he tackles in the piece. He works out a feel-good guitar solo, perhaps to show us his fluidity on the finger board, and it goes down well.
Lokal Krysis is also a producer, singer, songwriter and corporate executive in Africa and North America. He was in Ghana last year to play a charity concert in aid of autism projects. He returned this year in June for a gig at the +233 Jazz Bar and Grill at North Ridge in Accra where his music went down well with patrons.

‘Dangerous’ was recorded in the United States with some overdubs in Ghana. It toes the line of pieces that depart from the over-trodden path of romantic lyrics, to take on some of the harsh realities of contemporary life. His line of thinking is that there are serious matters of all types worrying the masses and the artiste should be a channel to voice out the grievances.

Lokal Krysis is not yet a household name here but ‘Dangerous’ and a couple of his earlier material point to an artiste who definitely deserves better recognition for his own approach to mixing catchy rhythms with conscious lyrics.

(Story: Kouame Koulibaly)