Five years after Nigerian Wood, Keziah Jones is back, in the guise of Afro superhero Captain Rugged. From his birth place in Makoko, the Nigerian slum version of Venice, through to the loud industry of the bus stations of Obalende, Captain Rugged tells us about modern Africa and its urban movements...

Keziah Jones's new album, Captain Rugged, is the end result of a character that Jones has been nurturing for the last ten years. It is a satire on power, politics and magic and tells the story of refugees, immigration and exile. Jones wanted to portray these personalities as rugged and robust: as survivors, superheroes.

Locating his superhero in Lagos allowed Keziah to breathe real life into Captain Rugged, creating a powerful, outspoken and liberated avatar. Keziah Jones assesses the relationship between the northern and southern hemispheres. He aims to show the world the modernity of post-colonial Africa, far from the image that the western world carries of a continent devastated by famine and/or war. 20 million people live in Lagos. Modern contemporary African culture is a reality. Today, African culture has proven its vivacity and is nourished by the Diaspora.

The music is based around a soulful genre Jones created: Blufunk. Rhythmic, organic and infused with a punk-funk attitude crossed with Yoruba rhythms.

The album contains 11 tracks (46 min). Highlights include 'Nollywood', which will stick in your head; 'Hypothetical', which is another catchy number; 'Falling', which is infectious; and 'Laughter', which is this album's most chilled out track, but I'd have to say that 'Praise' is the most memorable and enjoyable track.

So, all in all, Keziah Jones's new album is quite an enjoyable trip. It's one of those that slowly grows on you.

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Nick Smithson