iimini
The first sound you hear is seemingly that of a tape being placed into a tape recorder, then silence, rain, the light strumming of an acoustic guitar, more rain and finally a voice, quite unlike any voice we've heard before. Johannesburg-based artist Bongeziwe Mabandla has been described as "the enigmatic spirit of African Soul" by some and as a "modern miracle" by others. Eight years ago, he released his debut LP "Umlilo" (2012) and followed that up with his sophomore album "Mangaliso" (2017) five years later. The latter was awarded "Best Alternative Music Album" at the 2018 South African Music Awards and "showcased an artist intent on conveying a deeply mined emotional landscape" as well as "a gorgeous, understated mix of Xhosa lyrics with traditional music and folk stylings," his artist bio reads.
A few weeks ago, slightly delayed by the global pandemic, Bongeziwe Mabandla released his third album "iimini" (engl. "days") that was recorded over the course of 21 days in 2019, in Johannesburg and Maputo, alongside Mozambican musician, songwriter and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo. Correia-Paulo had already displayed his prowess on "Mangaliso" as the two reconnected on "iimini" to further evolve and intensify their creative collaboration, "[rooted simultaneously] in the deep and fertile soil of Mabandla's folk instincts and Correia-Paulo's roving eye for electronic music's loveliest aspects". The combination of Mabandla's soulful storytelling, truly haunting falsetto and meditative guitar playing along with Correia-Paulo's productive genius, adding electronic snippets and experimental flourishes with guitar and vocal sketches recorded on his phone, is absolutely mesmerising.
"iimini" in its essence is a one-theme concept album, as Bongeziwe Mabandla offers up "a cycle of twelve songs [...] that trace the unfolding of love with pure sonic beauty, from the day of the first meeting to the heartbreaking end" and that "is intended to be listened to as a whole". This notion of telling a story from all angles, thereby revealing a plethora of emotion, reflection and nuanced understanding, of deriving significance and meaning from personal human experience is part of a South African tradition that Mabandla intends to keep alive in his work. "I've always loved listening to lyrics. South Africans love storytelling in a song and I am led by a desire to be part of that tradition when writing," he says.
Thus, "iimini" is a tale of love over time that, although we cannot understand every word, makes itself felt intrinsically. Mabandla's rendition is so utterly heartfelt and musical that the literal meaning of his words would almost seem inconsequential. Add to this the versatile electronic narration of Correia-Paulo and you have an album that is as folkloristic as it is contemporary in sound. Yet for those curious minds among us, let's have Bogeziwe Mabandla sum it up in his own words: “The album starts off with meeting someone and how feelings evolve to love, and then the pain and heartache of being with someone. The last songs are about the end of relationship and the cutting of ties, and basically the separation of people who used to be incomplete without each other. iimini is about time, and how things eventually unfold. Time can change so much.”
You can stream "iimini" in full and/or watch the video to album track "jikeleza" below. The album was released on Platoon, a London-based artist services company that is playing a role in helping African and South African artists showcase their creativity to the world. Also, in case you were wondering, the equally amazing and enigmatic cover photo was shot by South African writer, photographer and filmmaker Lidudu Malingani.
More posts
Brother Theotis Taylor
Just a few weeks after bringing you Kahil El'Zabar and David Murray's "Spirit Groove" we return to Chicago, Illinois, home to the small Mississippi Records imprint, originally founded by Eric Isaacson in Portland, Oregon, as a record store back in 2003 and now run by musician Gordon Ashworth and filmmaker Cyrus Moussavi. Initially focussing on "esoteric" rarities ranging from "African acoustic guitar music, to 1920's - 30's country blues or deep gospel," the [...]
Reggae Sounds
Call it a coincidence, but the day we posted an exclusive 2008 Riddim Culture radio tribute to pioneering Jamaican artist, studio engineer and broadcaster Michael Campbell, aka Mikey Dread, we received word that prominent Jamaican dub poet and activist Linton Kwesi Johnson had been awarded the 2020 PEN Pinter Prize. The literary award, named after renowned British playwright Harold Pinter, was created by the English PEN organisation in 2009, to celebrate [...]
Spirit Groove
Welcome to the house that Kahil El'Zabar built. For decades now, Chicago's hugely innovative, "legendary multi-percussionist and spiritual jazz master Kahil El'Zabar [has been on a] quest of spirit through groove." It comes as no surprise then, that his latest, June-released album alongside fellow spirit-searcher and "tenor sax colossus" David Murray is simply entitled "Spirit Groove". Spanning over four decades the two have collaborated on a multitude of [...]
Afropentatonism
Afropentatonism... say it out loud, read it again to make sure you got all the letters right and then just let it seep in and gently take effect. What might be mistaken for a cult or a new brand of metal music rooted in African tradition turns out to be neither nor. Instead, "Afropentatonism" references the pentatonic scale, which many claim to be the world's oldest scale. With its five notes per octave the pentatonic scale dates all the way back to ancient [...]
Africa Today
If you've listened to or possibly even added Etuk Ubong's 2018-released "Black Debtors" 7-inch to your collection, then you're already in the know and will likely agree to Seun Kuti calling him "one of the best things to come out of Lagos." The Nigerian trumpeter, composer and bandleader with his home-cooked 'Earth Music' style is a veritable musical force to be reckoned with. For his latest feat he's now teamed up with London/Haarlem-based imprint Night [...]
The Dancing Devils Of Djibouti
The BBC's Focus on Africa programme called this "a very special album" and we couldn't agree more. While collecting music to put on our "Greedy for May" playlist on Spotify a few weeks back, we previewed the first available tracks of "The Dancing Devils of Djibouti" by Groupe RTD, aka "one of East Africa's best kept secrets," and were deeply impressed. Now fully released and available via Ostinato Records, we can't wait to share the story of the first-ever [...]
No Pata Pata
In 1985, the star-studded supergroup USA for Africa – initiated by Harry Belafonte and led by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie as well as iconic producer Quincy Jones – released its global charity anthem "We Are The World", which went on to sell over 20 million copies and raise over $75 million to combat famine in Africa. The song was remade in 2010 to benefit the earthquake-ridden Republic of Haiti. This year, Lionel Richie suggested recording a third [...]
Strovilos
This period of being at home more and reflecting on life, the state of affairs and current world order has come with the immediate benefit of consuming even more music. Although the lack of revenue for streaming of any kind remains an issue that needs to be addressed, we can't say we haven't revelled in the abundance of music being released, shared and performed live on screen at the moment. As such, we ourselves have made a load of new discoveries. But it also [...]
Black Atlantica Edits
In other transatlantic news, Berlin-based Man Recordings founder, DJ and producer Daniel Haaksman returns with a superb dancefloor-friendly exploration of the Afro-Latin diaspora for BBE Music. Haaksman has long made a name for himself as a transcontinental curator of global, tropical and future bass tunes – ever since his seminal "Rio Baile Funk Favela Booty Beats" compilation in 2004 – steadily cultivating aural dialogues between Europe, South America and [...]
Uzelli Elektro Saz
A few months ago, when commercial air travel was still a thing, we visited our second home on the Bosphorus. During our stay, we had the opportunity to meet with Esma and Murat Ertel (lead singer and electric saz player of experimental Istanbul psych-formation Baba Zula) in a coffee house in the neighbourhood of Levent on the occasion of their soon-to-be and meanwhile recently released "Uzelli Elektro Saz" album, compiled from the extensive archives of the [...]
Istanbul
In 1976, the legendary Erkin Koray, one of the pioneers of Anatolian rock music, released a track called "Cümbür Cemaat", which roughly translates to 'all together now'. Almost five decades later, today, Frankfurt-based producer and partisan of Balkan music styles Shantel teams up with Istanbul-based outfit Cümbüş Cemaat – notice the play on words, 'cümbüş' referring to an oud- or mandolin-like Turkish instrument as well as a 'merrymaking' – to [...]
The Same Dance
As many countries across the globe have slowly begun to lift certain precautionary measures, in an attempt to aid their struggling economies, social distancing remains a global issue. Naturally, those who can still choose to stay at home as much as possible. Yet, even though this is a time of separation for most of us, there is also a growing need for support, solidarity and togetherness, if only virtual, to alleviate the effects of social isolation. In [...]