Three years on from a creditable debut, Tropikadelic, French duo Julien Gervaix and Damien Tesson reprise their Ireke project for album number two, Ayô Dele. Translated as ‘My joy has arrived’ in Yoruba, the album builds on the Afrofunk and Hi-Life foundations of its predecessor, with a heavier emphasis on the Funk, smatterings of Hip-Hop and a seemingly stronger Electro presence. It’s also a more multilingual, as well as distinctly more feminine record. The fellows stay noticeably in the background, at least as far as vocals are concerned. French does not dominate as much as previously, with lyrics sung in Yoruba, Martinican Creole, English and Spanish.  The duo’s muse, Agnès Hélène (pictured: centre-right) makes a return and, this time, is joined by Nayel Hóxò (Benin/Nigeria, pictured: centre-left) as well as Olivya, the lead vocalist from French-Caribbean outfit, Dowdelin. The latter brings her by now recognisable flavour to album highlight Viv Li, arguably one of only two bona fide ballads on the project.

(In a cynical moment, one might deduce that Tesson and Gervaix’ choice to surround themselves with mostly Afrodescendant artists is as much about offsetting any accusations of cultural appropriation, as it is about returning to the source.)

Ireke have certainly finetuned their compositional skills in the intervening years. If album number one was a foretaste of their potential, Ayô Dele is an even more sophisticated affair with a higher strike rate. There’s enough of the familiar to establish a trademark sound without resting on their laurels. Notwithstanding Hóxò’s grating rap interventions, pretty much every track has winning appeal. The record opens with Tout est Bizarre, apparently about the dizzy feeling at the start of infatuation. It could easily be commentary on the current bewildering socio-political moment, however. Likewise, the bemused and coolly exasperated air of the irresistible Laissez Passer, could be a rebuke of much of the political establishment across the globe, in its call for the fools to step out of the way and let the rest of us get on with it. Other standouts include the compelling groove of optimistic Funk-Soul jewel SoulShine and the mid-tempo, En Synchro – the only other contender for ballad status – fusing Hi-Life and 4Hero-esque Broken Beats.