Oliver: Syran Mbenza feat. Diblo Dibala - Icha (29 December 1991)

Going into the 11.30pm news on 29/12/91, Peel promised his listeners a segue of "the two greatest guitar tracks of 1991".  Curiously the taper of the show I listened to declined to include either of them apart from snatched extracts at the start of both tracks which gave their identities away.

I don't blame them for passing on Neil Young & Crazy Horse's, Rockin' in the Free World from the Weld live album.  It's a good track, I agree, but commits the cardinal sin of Excessive Feedback Wankery at the End of a Live Performance.  An unforgiveable folly, which despite its volume and intended power is ultimately nothing more than noodling.  You're better off with this.

I'm a little surprised that they rejected Syran Mbenza's, Icha from his album, Symbiose, featuring as it does impressive guitar work from Diblo Dibala among others, although it could be argued that the repeated arpeggios in soukous music could qualify as noodling too.  However, that kind of noodling invites you to get lost in the music, whereas Young's feedback antics seemed designed to lock thousands of people into that idiotic pose, only seen at rock concerts, where the crowd start applauding at different stages while waiting for their cue to come in and simultaneously checking their watches to ensure that they haven't missed their buses.

Icha gets on the mixtape, because it's life affirming and catchy, but I disagree with Peel about it being one of the two best guitar tracks of that year.  Hell, it's not even the best guitar track of 1991 to feature Diblo Dibala. 

The video doesn't actually come from 29/12/91, but is taken from presumably earlier in that year.  It had to be used given that it features a classic Peelism at the beginning.

Video courtesy of Kanal von brianrenate.