We’ve never heard any music from Gabon on this site, so today’s the day.

Pierre Akendengue is an outspoken musician from Gabon still living, performing and recording in Libreville. He spent the early part of his early career in France but moved back to Gabon in the early 80s. His lyrics are often political and he is deeply entrenched in the development the cultural life of his home country. Akendengue is also a big believer in pan-Africanism and you’ll often hear him sing about uniting African people - if you can understand Myéné, that is.

Even if you can’t understand his native tongue it’s hard not to like his music. His early stuff is often folky, sometimes tinged with a strange near-psychedelic edge. Echoes and electrical “zaps” abound. Beyond that, though, you get some great singing and nice acoustic guitar work. Early Pierre Akendengue as Libreville’s Cat Stevens? I laughed outloud as I typed that, but it’s sort of true.

Today’s track is off Nandipo, Akendengue’s second album. It was released in 1976 and led to some degree of international fame when it won the “Prix de la jeune chanson française” at Midem, the annual Cannes record industry event.

I picked this track in particular because I’ve had a really weird day at work and it’s is the only thing that seems to make sense. I also picked it because it’s good, and not the song most people know by this guy - the relatively annoying “Afrika”.

Pierre Akendengue - Oma Ayiya