GENESIS OWUSU - Redstar Wu And The Worldwide Scourge

We need to confront a “worldwide scourge”, Genesis Owusu warns us. And the only way to do it is to stare a frightening reality in the face and fight back, putting nothing less than our own dancing bodies on the line, dancing until we drop. Driven by this urgency, the Australian artist of Ghanaian descent's third album adopts an even more radically politicized stance than his previous records. A red star, echoing the flag of his native country, perhaps hinting at a guerrilla war about to break out or already underway, appears on the cover and in all the videos accompanying the singles pulled from the record.

Bolstered by multiple Australian national awards and already acclaimed by the international press, Owusu doesn't give in to the siren calls that would push him toward radio-friendly softening. If anything, he makes his dance-punk take on neo-soul even tighter and sharper. So, leaving no room for doubt, the tracklist opens with the statement of intent that is “Pirate Radio”, a synth-bass assault worthy of Death Grips. From here on, the listener knows what to expect: a clandestine stream of subversive messages aimed at jolting consciences awake. Because the worldwide scourge doesn't only wield its deadly violence through drones and raids, but also by instilling an insidious anxiety that breeds paralysis, loneliness and resignation — something we absolutely must shake off. Hence the breathless sprint of “Stampede”, the soundtrack to an adrenaline-fueled video shot in Ghana, where Genesis Owusu's parents have moved back to live, giving him the chance to reconnect with his roots.

On the whole, “Redstar Wu And The Worldwide Scourge” works best precisely when it floors the accelerator to deliver irresistible synth-punk bombs, in which echoes of even the earliest Ultravox surface: that's the case with the electronic boogie of “Life Keeps Going”, the excellent brit-rock-tinged single “Death Cult Zombie”, but also the Tv on the Radio-style neurosis that electrifies “Most Normal American Voter”. This ability to channel extremely explicit invectives into frenzied dance music — whether calling for taxing oligarchs, mocking the conservative frustration of pro-Trump incels, or denouncing the passivity of world powers in the face of the genocide in Gaza — is what gives the album its balance, even on the near-title track, with its apocalyptic j'accuse set against a liturgical trip-hop backdrop. And just as vital, and just as refreshing, are the tracks where danceable drive meets instantly catchy melodies — take the anthem straddling new wave and power pop that is “Runnin Outta Time”, and the Balearic keyboards that give “Big Dog” its dreamy synth-pop character.

The moments where the pulse slows down, while making up a relatively minor share of the record, are scattered across several key points. Though not all of them fully land, they remain evocative nonetheless, ranging from potential outtakes from “Blue Lines” (“Blessed Are The Meek”) to nostalgic synthwave suspensions (“4Life”, the only track without a rhythm section). Even better are the sticky funk of “Hellstar”, featuring a guest spot from rapper Duckwrth, and the psychedelic arpeggios that punctuate “Situations”. And while “Falling Both Ways”, a duet with Ladyhawke whose nocturnal gait sounds like it stepped out of a sedated The Weeknd, stands for this writer among the album's high points, the bittersweet, Frank Ocean-esque number “One4All” provides the perfect closer. The party is over, the landscape around us is bleak, but there's no choice but to face it: it's not time to go to bed, quite the opposite, it's time to stay alert and tackle the climb, hauling ourselves up with “Sisyphus' shoulders”. Knowing that, should we falter and feel our strength give out, overcome by discouragement, we can always drop “Redstar Wu And The Worldwide Scourge” back on the turntable and drink in the indomitable enthusiasm Genesis Owusu managed to pour into it.

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05/07/2026