The Kikum melodies are always sweet, even to people outside of the grasslands of Cameroon. They are performed in celebrations. You can not really be near such a performance without moving your body, even if involuntarily.

They use xylophones, often placed on plantain suckers. The dances tie on their ankles dry seeds of some plants, which shake to the rhythm of the dance. There are many melodies and dancing styles.

Shitiy is one of these rhythms. It is the faster one, and not really all groups can perform it, as it demands much agility and resistance, both for the dancers as for the instrumentalists. There are often short choruses accompanying.

Nsay ki la has done a good job to reproduce these instruments. Recording live performances of the dance often comes with much noise and fanfare. This instrumental representation helps you enjoy the melodies without this so much noise that often drowns the instruments.

Release date: 8 July 2020
Mood: joyful, pleasant
Genre: Folk