When hiplife music began about a decade ago it was quite heavy on the rap tip. Now it appears highlife rhythms are flowing into many of the songs. And that is good news for ardent lovers of highlife.

One musician who has soaked his hiplife work with good measure of highlife swing is debutante, Young Sam, also known as Simon Sam Dzima. His album titled ?Aso M?ani? is presented on the wings of kpanlogo, guitar band and some flashes of contemporary highlife beats.

However as a young musician, the hiplife influence is also quite prominent in some of Sam?s songs, particularly the first song on the CD, ?Obaano (Akosua).

With Sound Engineer of the Year, Jeff Quaye aka Jay Q churning out the beats in that song what else can one expect ? typical hiplife in the kpanlogo vein. The hiplife touch even becomes more prominent when the proverbs-filled Tinny injects some Ga rap into the song.

It is therefore not surprising that the song, Obaano, is enjoying more airplay than the other songs on the album. Another song that may hit the older lovers of Ghanaian music is ?All For You? which was originally performed by highlife great E.T. Mensah. The rhythm is mature and lukewarm, not too hot, not too cool. Young listeners may also enjoy All for You because of the few lines of rap performed by Shee.

According to Young Sam, the album is a musical expression of the good, the bad and the ugly sides of marriage which has seen in many homes included his own. And this is captured in the titles of some of the songs including ?Obaano (woman)?, ?Jealousy?, ?Mesiafo (women)?, ?All for You? and ?Odo Asendua (Love cross),? all of which touch on love and relationship issues. Other titles on the album are ?Anadwo (Night)? and ?Wo Se Den (what are saying?)?.

Young Sam, a product of the St. Johns School and Cape Coast Technical School is currently based in London. He describes his work as mature hiplife and hopes to carry hiplife music into the hearts of the older generation.

The album is produced by Wayoosi Music Production, London, and distributed by Adjei Boadi Music, Kantamanto-Accra and Kumasi. Some of the songs are already making rounds on the airwaves however the album will be officially launched in Accra and London.