Florence Adooni’s A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity) is an album in motion—songs that feel they have time-travelled various continents, and seasons, bringing with them the sunny warmth of Northern Ghana. Highlife music has always been about movement, the sunny side of life, inspired by jazz and funk, uptempo, moving melodies, and rhythms inspired by history.

Here, under the careful and clean production of Max Weissenfeldt, Adooni’s voice serves as the driving force, not only engaging with tradition but actively redefining it. Rooted in the Fra Fra culture, Adooni’s work embodies what the evolving landscape of highlife music can offer.

The title itself—A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity)—suggests a kind of playfulness, but is deeply intentional. Adooni is a vocalist who doesn’t just sing; she communicates. The album’s opening track, ‘Mam Pe’ela Su’ure,’ has a familiar warmth, with a catchy chorus, panned guitar riffs, pleasant harmonies, and horns just at the right moments and movements. “Uh-Ah Song,” born out of an impromptu exchange with her newborn daughter, has all the elements of fun, child-play likeness, and the joy of simplicity, just how music should be sometimes.

Another standout track from the album is “Otoma Da Naba,” which initially feels unconventional due to its synth-driven bassline. However, as the song unfolds, it challenges expectations and gradually wins you over with its blend of live instrumentation and the iconic Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer. This fusion is what  pushes the traditional highlife sound into an Afro-futuristic odyssey, making it both nostalgic and evolving.

It is this balance—between precision and looseness, between past and present—that makes A.O.E.I.U. such a compelling debut. Across its seven songs lie years of work, influence, and experience; Adooni has clearly built a solid foundation for her evolving sound. The only question now is—what comes next for this Fra Fra artist?

Florence Adooni's A.O.E.I.U. (An Ordinary Exercise In Unity) will be released via Philophon on 28/02
You can pre-order your copy and listen to it HERE