Leaders Of The World (The whistle song)

Jenerik Soulz is proud to participate in the Fair Play for Africa campaign by seeking to provide a unique and clear voice by calling out to all the leaders of the world and people of Africa to unite and work together in improving the quality of life for all. This quality of life touches on essentials such as access to quality health for friends and families and a transparency in issues such as HIV/AIDS. These very issues lie in parallel with what Jenerik Soulz as a young, vibrant band tries to combat through positive and easy-on-the-ear music.

The song composed by Jenerik Soulz, titled Leaders Of The World (The Whistle Song) is a song which tries to capture the optimism and positivity of the African people to celebrate the progress that has already been made as a continent. The whistle which is consistent throughout the song which blends immaculately with the melody plays out as a powerful metaphor to demand accountability and blow the whistle on under-performing African and international governments; who have promised to spend 15% of their budgets on health. The whistle also holds a more literal message as it represents the people and it is a clear reference to the biggest sporting event which is about to take place in Africa for the first time, the much anticipated Football World Cup.

The track is titled Leaders Of The World for the direct purpose of getting straight to the point and calling out to all leaders, African and other Continents, to keep their promises and work with the people on a grassroots level in partnership to do more and improve the quality of people’s lives. The whistle which is traditionally used as a communication tool transcends all boundaries of language and culture and can be used symbolically as a mechanism to blow out on governments who are not doing enough while at the same time blow in celebration of Africa as beautiful continent alive with possibility.

The key ingredient in the track is the positive elements around it; the vocals are concise and lucid in execution while capturing the core roots of Africa through the use of thumping African percussions. The baseline is thick with character and breathes an air of strength throughout the song. The layered melody whispers elegantly in a melancholic tone symbolizing the challenges Africa has faced over the years and those which are to come in the future. The drum pattern with a consistent 808 stamps a stern voice for Africa that it does not seek pity rather it seeks partnerships and good ideas. In its entirety the song captures the message of solidarity and humanity to work together under the banner of the Fair Play for Africa Campaign.

www.fairplayforafrica.org

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Track Of The Week: dance4life

In commemoration of World AIDS Day, Jenerik Soulz presents dance4life as this week’s track of the week. dance4life addresses the recklessness of individuals who follow a care free life living only for the present and forgetting about the future. It taps into the mindset of youth and seeks to instil an insight of living a healthy responsible life which comes with making conscious decisions throughout life such as the dangers of multiple partners in relationships, the dangers of not using protection in sexual activities and the ignorance showed towards this incurable disease… Read more about the track in our track review.

Rate & Review… & Win

We really want to hear what you think of dance4life, use the comment box below to rate and review the track. On a rating scale of 1 to 5 (1 being poor and 5 being classic).

Also sms ‘JS TOW‘ (Without Quotation Marks) and your rating e.g. JS TOW 5 to 34010 (sms cost ZAR2). Daily, a randomly picked winner will receive a link to download the “Track of the Week” and weekly winner a Jenerik Soulz TShirt. This competion is valid for the week 01 December 2009 till 11 December 2009.

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Track Review – dance4life

dance4life is a track created to spark a movement in fighting one of the biggest battles in society. HIV/AIDS, a pandemic which has killed over 25 million people since 1981, and with the worrying statistics of Africa having 11.6 million AIDS orphans; and with young people (under 25 years old) who account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide, there is a dire problem amidst our people which needs serious attention and solutions. When looking at the concept of dance4life it addresses the recklessness of individuals who follow a care free life living only for the present and forgetting about the future. It taps into the mindset of youth and seeks to instil an insight of living a healthy responsible life which comes with making conscious decisions throughout life such as the dangers of multiple partners in relationships, the dangers of not using protection in sexual activities and the ignorance showed towards this incurable disease.

The greatest weapon in fighting this disease is education, which instils a certain dignity within individuals to not only value themselves but value others in the world, to fight off this disease which strips away the face of society and places a cloud of darkness over the light of life. dance4life is a shining moonlight that reflects across the hearts of young people with its strong message of waking up every morning and taking responsibility of your life, and when it starts with you that is when the world is able to change. The lyrics are simple and easy to digest, with visionary portrayals of a nation in desperate need of change, because the only thing constant in life is change.

In placing a magnifying glass on certain themes in the track we are able to break down key messages embedded in the track, such as peer pressures which youth face today in growing up quickly and developing far faster than past generations. Modernity has not only shaped the word positively it has also brought huge problems with it, such as the constant bombarding in every form of the media of sexual messages, these sexual messages are reinforced every day of our lives and cannot be avoided. Youth who are the biggest consumers of these media forms are faced with problems of misinterpreting the messages which result in early sexual participation, teenage pregnancies and these problems are aligned with the vultures of the pandemic AIDS. The youth now need a voice of which they can associate with and understand clearly without false misconceptions and dance4life is that voice of conscious reason or a ventriloquist within music that feeds the souls of the young.

The track is a soundtrack for an HIV/AIDS awareness organization called dance4life which Jenerik Soulz supports and has donated music whereby the proceeds go to fighting the disease. The music is co-ordinated simultaneously with the fundamental principles of the dance4life organization, who strongly believe in interacting with the youth because they hold the key in building a better tomorrow.

The music takes its place around a fast club like environment with hard flashing synthesizers which co-ordinate in rhythmic fusion, alongside head banging 808’s which lead the march as a metaphor in fighting this disease firmly without doubt that it can be defeated, the light strings layered beneath the synthesizers bleed with melancholic movement and paint the picture of lives lost in the battle of AIDS, they all come together in uniformity in creating a club hit, which sinks within the hearts of every youth. The simplicity of the lyrics which are effected with a futuristic auto-tune device in order for modern listeners to relate, has a certain prophetic hope that belts out the message that if we can all in our own capacity take up the challenge to fight AIDS, then in the end it will transcend into a cohesive group effort. The words “just push your passion” signify the simple message of having a passion for life and when that reality is created one values every second of life, and will protect their life against any threat even HIV/AIDS.

[Click here for track review in pdf format]

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Track Review – Quick Fix

Quick fix is about refusing to be the scapegoat or easy resolution to others; it seeks to eliminate the inferiority complex in people inflicted by others. This track touches on the importance of acquiring virtues such as confidence, self-love and a self-assured standpoint of oneself in life. It looks at the notion of accepting and loving a person in your fullest capacity and not for just a cheap thrill to merely pass time. It sincerely deals with the issue of seeking longevity in people and things, with compassion and consideration. The 21^st century has brought with it the inability for people to spend time on things because of instant gratification and the hustle bustle of modern society who place no emphasis on people but rather on superficial things.

The importance of independence is highlighted gracefully and takes the standpoint of one believing that they should not pay attention to people who undermine their sense of value. Because independence empowers one with self love and eliminates at all costs the negativity around oneself, which comes in the form of people incapable of seeing the good in people. Quick fix looks holistically at the complexities of an individual trying to forge their path in the world, while not sacrificing their identity by those who are seeking a ‘quick fix’, which is a metaphor for a cheap thrill which holds no water and is futile in the sense that it does not last, and is laid on the foundations of deception.

The song follows a typical girl’s night out in the city whereby she rejects trivial advances by another man who is drunk off infatuation but feels a burning desire to acquaint himself with this young woman at any expense. In doing this, a clear scene is painted through the situation of this man offering this girl a drink and chatting her up, as a means to an end. Her response is of one of a true independent and dignified woman who turns down these advances because she sees the intentions behind them. The woman’s response echoes the theme of the song, that of her not seeing herself as just being merely a ‘quick fix’. Men are always identified as being the predators and the woman are the kill, and the men will do anything in their powers to go in for the kill, but quick fix disapproves with this notion, by looking at the decency in mankind and that the process of befriending one should not be done through superficial things such as alcohol but through the simple gift of true honest language where two people meet each other on a mutual accord.

The music of Quick fix stems from the truest form of jazz and combined with the typical structure of an upbeat house affair. The Rhodes keys form the main mood of the track with their sensual, nostalgic chords which sink within the hearts of the listeners. The jovial drum pattern creates a festive mood of dance and happiness and is lifted with the heavy synthesized bass line played on top of the drums. The vocals are typical of an 80’s feel which are gentle yet the messages in the song are executed with conviction, jazz holds a strong place in the identity of quick fix, with the improvised piano solo within the track which highlights the conflicts of a society who lives by the standards of only seeking a ‘quick fix’ in life, which not only leaves one empty but disillusioned. The nostalgia brought by the light synth towards the end of the track concludes the sadness brought on by people through meaningless advances which lead to someone getting hurt emotionally, and seeks to capture this truth, yet with the possibility of shedding the light upon the situation that when one respects and loves themselves they are able to pick up the dangerous signs of a ‘quick fix’ brushing the advances aside and living their life peacefully yet with the purity that when a good moment presents itself they will be able to see it with the eyes of a child and see the beauty in it.

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