#zimbabwean music

[afrotumble]

Bob Marley, Mike Mhundwa and one member of the Wailers [Tyrone Downie].

Zimbabwe Settings 1980

[mywifeleftme]

254: The Bhundu Boys // Shabini

Shabini The Bhundu Boys 1986, Discafrique

I don’t know what to do with this review. I picked up a copy of Shabini for a pittance a few years back, and heard the same thing British DJs John Peel and Andy Kershaw and a host of other music celebs did when the Zimbabwean five-piece first reached the UK in the mid-‘80s: miraculous, flowing chorus-effect-laden guitar pop, driven by an insistent skipping rhythm, with jovial call and response group vocals in the Shona language. Peel famously wept the first time he saw them live, and there is something angelic about the way their melodies seem both circular and endlessly ascending. The Bhundu Boys called their style jit, but most listeners would be hard pressed to distinguish it from the Congolese soukous style that was simultaneously breaking through in continental Europe—whatever its precise genre, Shabini is the greatest record of its kind I’ve heard.

I’d like to leave it there, but how do you omit their backstory? I don’t have the heart for it today, but the accounts collected on this blog (or the band’s Wikipedia page if you’re in a hurry) are as grim as their music was joyous: from lead singer Biggie Tembo’s days as a child soldier to becoming Zimbabwe’s most promising band; to arena and stadium dates in England and America; to penury at the hands of their swindling manager; to imprisonment or death for nearly every member of the band (most via AIDS; Tembo by suicide after he was consigned to a mental hospital). As surviving member Rise Kagona has said, it’s tragic that “for all the cities we visited, and all the friends, and all the music that we made, the Bhundu Boys are mostly remembered for dying of AIDS.”

Their art deserves better than that, but the Bhundu Boys’ memory also should not be reduced to a contextless, ornamental snow globe, as so much of the first wave of so-called “world music” that they helped to kick off has been. Between Zimbabwe’s murderous post-colonial politics and the exploitationist Western music industry, these naïve young men were fed into a meatgrinder practically from the moment they reached British soil. It bolstered some of their worst personal instincts and drove wedges between the Boys that left them more vulnerable still to exploitation, until that which was special about them had been wrung out and spent. The highest compliment you can pay their music is that it was so instantly and obviously special that anyone could hear it from the drop; the most damning indictment of this world is that this very quality would be their ruin. Shabini is a pristine record of something uniquely beautiful and doomed, and deserves to be remembered as such.

254/365

[kimludcom]

I Went To ZIMFEST UK 2024 🇿🇼 & Saw ZIMBABWEANS TAKEOVER AMAPIANO 😱🔥 | UK Vlog 🇬🇧

[bkrencc]

wall studio painting

[iammusiccriticism]

Tamy Moyo mentions the transitions she is facing in life in “Sare”

Tamy Moyo’s album, BVUDZIJENA serves as a way of presenting her identity. As mentioned by Tafadzwa Zimoyo in The Herald, Tamy’s white hair or “bvudzijena” in Shona has inspired her to reach great heights in her music career. After all, Tamy said white hair symbolises the transition taking place in her life. It’s about her journey from being a teenager to an adult, her quest for growth and wisdom not only as an individual but as an artist and a creative as evident in the song titled, “Sare”.

Sare serves as the first track off BVUDZIJENA The Album. The music video premiered on November 10, 2021. Tamy Moyo begins by pondering on her bed. We are presented with the full moon accompanied by traditional cultural chants. The full moon symbolises that a significant change is about to happen, the transition of Tamy from being a teenager to an adult. Moreover, the Shona phrase "Iro, Zuva rabuda"—which translates to "The sun is out"—adds to the evidence. Immediately afterwards, the music starts to get intense. Later on, as Tamy Moyo is tossing and turning in bed, the film switches to other scenes. "Mukai iwe, Bvudzi jena"—which means "Wake up"—is what awakens her.

Afterwards, we are presented with a piano playing in the background mixed with soothing vocals. The lyrics have a message behind her transition. For instance, she said,

"Wake up so early in the morning / Nothing is scaring my turning / Life is a road is a journey / All of these questions I’m learning / Feeling no ways I’m unworthy / Hapana chandogona ini / Mercy mercy mercy mercy / But I’m not counting my blessings"

She lets her listeners know that she is embracing the changes she is going through. She understands that life is a journey and part of the process. Henceforth she is not feeling unworthy. However, she notices something she needs to work on. She needs to start counting her blessings.

Moyo uzere / Dai kuri kugona ndigere / Kwete kungotarisa zvevamwe / Aghh nyebere handisare

Which means

My heart is full / If only I could sit / not just look at other people's affairs / Aghh, I will not stay

Her heart is full yet she finds herself comparing herself to others. She knows that if she wants to transition, she has to leave that all behind hence why she said, she will not stay (sare).

Sare sare (handisare) / Huruva kusimuka kupfumbuka / Mhepo dziye kusimuka kuzopfumbuka (handisare) x 4

Which means

Stay stay (l will not stay) / The dust will rise and bloom / Those winds will rise and bloom (l will not stay)

Huruva kusimuka kupfumbuka (The dust will rise and bloom) is a metaphor to explain Tamy Moyo's transition. Tamy Moyo is a speck of dust ready to rise and bloom from a teenager to an adult. She is in search of growth and wisdom.

Moyo wako uite muchena / Pane kufamba uri wega / Dai wagumawo kutenda / Aiwa dai wakumbodemba x 3

Which means:

Let your heart be pure / Instead of walking alone / I wish you stopped believing / No, I wish you had no regrets

The music gets intense when Tamy Moyo learns a valuable lesson. No matter what happens, she has to have a pure heart. Having a pure heart leads to self-awareness, personal growth, and personal development that will help her transition.

Towards the end of the video, she pays homage to her dancer and choreographer Lynsey Lynn who was nominated for a NAMA in 2021.

In a nutshell, I liked the concept of the music video. Sare had a mixture of Afro-pop with traditional and cultural elements to it. It clearly shows that Tamy Moyo put so much thought into the music video to present the transitions she is facing as an artist. Therefore, I rate the track, 10/10.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading roundup: February 2024

I literally completely forgot I needed to do this oopsie poopsie

WHAT DID I READ IN FEBRUARY!!! LET'S TALK ABOUT IT!!!!

Rouge (Mona Awad, 2023) - listen. there are some very cool ideas in this book, and it's definitely big creepy in places. some of the childhood flashbacks, in particular, had me shrieking with pure dread. but ultimately my issue with this book is the same as my issue with Awad's most well-known novel, Bunny: I would just... kind of like to understand what's going on? like even a little bit? at literally any time? you don't need to explain everything, but man, give me something. vibes alone do not make a meal, and I left this book not really feeling fed.

Our Share of Night (Mariana Enríquez, trans. Megan McDowell 2023) - god, this book makes you WORK FOR IT, but I'm glad I stuck it out. Enríquez has written a fucking doorstopper of intergenerational drama, about an Argentinian family deeply embroiled in a cult that worships something otherworldly and... hungry. perpetually sickly Juan is the Order's prized prophet, but after his wife's death is orchestrated by her own mother he becomes determined to get their young son, Gaspar, away from the Order's control by any means necessary. a wrenching read that swings through every kind of horror, swinging from the supernatural to Argentina's military dictatorship in the 70s to the AIDS epidemic in the 80s and 90s to an absolutely brutal ending.

Red String Theory (Lauren Kung Jessen, 2024) - some of you may recall that Lauren Kung Jessen wrote Lunar Love, one of my favorite romance novels of last year thanks to a zodiac-obsessed protagonist who's (unintentionally) giving major Rebecca Bunch pre-diagnosis in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend vibes. Red String Theory also has a female lead obsessed with mythological matchmaking, so I was really hoping for another unhinged queen, but please don't make my mistake: everyone in this book is devastatingly hinged, and the only real conflict is two characters who like each other from the jump repeatedly coming up with unsatisfying excuses for why they can't date each other. my least favorite was "we'll only in the same city for A YEAR," which is absolutely hogshit wild. "only a year." get out of here. I hate you guys.

Drinking from Graveyard Wells (Yvette Lisa Ndlovu, 2023) - a tiny short story debut by Ndlovu, a Zimbabwean sarungano. one of my very favorite genre of short story collections is "women having a bad time taken up to 11," and god does this deliver. Ndlovu writes about the many indignities heaped upon Zimbabwean women at home and abroad, weaving together tight stories about misogyny, war, poverty, and immigration with restless spirits, bored gods, ignored wise women, and unsatisfactory afterlives. there's a story about a near future in which diamond miners are purposefully set up and sacrificed to an angry underground god to create more diamonds that was so fucking clever, and the final story - the titular Drinking from Graveyard Wells - was just... an absolutely perfect short story. suspenseful and eerie and just enough of a hint of explanation to really chill you. chef's kiss.

It Happened One Summer (Tessa Bailey, 2021) - shout out to all of my patreon supporters who voted to make me read another Tessa Bailey book; you truly wish darkness and despair upon me. here's the insane thing about this book: if you just completely ignore the actual central romance, it's just a sweet book about an infinitely likeable young woman unplugging from her shallow socialite life and finding a new niche reviving her deceased father's bar in a tiny fishing town in Washington. it's like, you know, the plot of a pretty okay disney channel original movie? it's no Minute Men or High School Musical, but it's cute. it's a solid Dairy Girls or Princess Protection Program. but then there's the love interest, who's just a fucking tool all the way down. reader, I kept wishing he would get swept over the rigging of his own crab boat and die ingloriously at sea. this guy sucks so bad. also the sex scenes were identical to the ones in Unfortunately Yours and they did not taste any better reheated. fascinating treatise on cishetero gender norms, rancid romance. I wrote a whole thing about it on my patreon if you're into that kind of nastiness.

[thehollowwriter]

🎻🐈👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

for all ur new twst ocs :)

Does Morrigan count as new? I'm gonna add him anyways

🎻 VIOLIN — Does your oc play any instruments? what is their skill level (beginner/intermediate/advanced/virtuoso/etc)?

Morrigan likes music, it's a very big part of mer culture, after all! He always struggled to focus during music lessons since he found them boring, but he still loves to play. He's quite skilled at the flute (intermediate) and is a very talented singer :).

Cosme plays guitar and is quite advanced! He started when he came to NRC. He's very good at it and will play for his class if they're well behaved enough.

Nkululeko does play instruments! He can play a number of Xhosa instruments (he's quite talented with the uhadi and umrhube) but also the mbira! It's not a Xhosa intrument, in fact, it is Zimbabwean, but he has recently begun learning how to play it and is a beginner. He likes music a lot and probably would've joined the Light Music Club if it weren't for Track and Field.

Timo doesn't really play instruments, but he does like to sing. Is he good? Nobody knows. He doesn't let anybody hear him. Well, Finn has heard him, but he can't remember because he was very small at the time.

🐈 CAT — Does your oc prefer a wide circle of friends or a few close friends?

Morrigan always struggled to make friends, since most people first experience his well behaved middle class personality, and then his more wild, sometimes even cruel, side later, which makes them leave since they feel he was tricking them. Nonetheless, he managed to make a few close friends, and he definitely preferred that.

Cosme prefers a few close friends. He's friends with Sam and a couple of other people outside NRC. He spills campus tea to them lmao.

Nkululeko likes a wide circle of friends! His personality gels well with most people, and they generally like him. He's also quite popular on Magicam, and he considers his followers friends in a way.

Timo also struggles to make friends, but he has a few of them that he's close to and definitely prefers it over a bunch of them that could turn on him on a whim.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY WITH MOTHER, FATHER, SON AND DAUGHTER — how many people are in your oc's immediate family? how many people are in your oc's extended family? do they have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc? who in their family are they closest with? are they close with their birth family, or do they have a found family?

Morrigan has a mother, father, a few siblings, as well as a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins. No grandparents, unfortunately. And obviously, Silas is his husband. He isn't estranged from his family and loves them deeply, but he always felt rather detached from them, like they didn't really understand him and vise verse. He always felt closest to Silas.

Cosme has two adopted mothers, an adopted sister and a niece. He is very close with all of them and loves them dearly. He spoils his niece rotten ;)

Nkululeko has a father (a human from the Sunset Savanna) and a mother (a Sally Lightfoot Crab beastman from the Land of Dawning), as well as a three younger siblings who he adores and several cousins. He's especially close with his father.

Timo is an orphan. He was not fond of the girl's orphanage he grew up in at all and felt very isolated from the others, and he did not get along with the adults there. He really wanted to find work to get out of there, so he began looking around and found a couple of ads for Silas' business and applied. He did end up babysitting Finn because [insert lamentations spoilers here], and during that time, he got pretty close to Silas and views him as a father figure (he will never admit it out loud he feels too embarrased) and views Finn as his lil brother. It's kind of found family, but also kinda not at the same time.

Tagging: @theleechyskrunkly @cyanide-latte @the-banana-0verlord @officialdaydreamer00 @jovieinramshackle @cynthinesia @oya-oya-okay @skrimpyskimpy

[rowsofrose]

About RowsofRose

Having been here for a while, I thought i’d properly introduce myself…

Hey! My name is Rose, I'm a 19 year old simmer doing an undergraduate degree in Spatial Data Science and Human Geography at a university in London. I’m half English and Zimbabwean, pictured above is my updated simself! My content is lookbooks, builds, CC Finds, maybe the occasional gameplay post. I started this simblr late 2023 and even though I haven’t been posting for long i’ve loved being in the community. I play on a very old MacBook Air and I try to stay maxis match though I definitely lean into maxis mix more recently. I’d say my traits are: Creative, Family Oriented & Music Lover, with my aspiration being ‘Big Happy Family’ or ‘Super Parent’. I love music, my favourite song is The Complete Knock by Blood Orange. I’m also super into reading, any Eve Babitz or Elena Ferrante lovers are especially welcome here!!! You can navigate my page here. I hope you enjoy my content ♥︎

[thoughtportal]

In his 1961 book, What Is History?, Edward Hallett Carr explains that history doesn’t write itself; it’s historians—human beings with biases and specific motives—who determine its basis. “It used to be said that facts speak for themselves. This is, of course, untrue,” he writes. “The facts speak only when the historian calls on them: it is he who decides to which facts to give the floor, and in what order or context.” Throughout the tumult of 2020 many American cities, particularly in the South and parts of the Midwest, addressed the reckoning brought on by the George Floyd protests by taking down Confederate monuments. Beneath the cheers from many celebrating the long-overdue actions, right-wing activists shouted that removing the statues was “erasing history.” The Right’s cries of erasure reflected a view that history is rigid and static.

For New York–based rapper billy woods, history is a tool for understanding the world we live in. Woods sees history as fluid: perspectives change over time, tipping points are only recognizable in hindsight, and everything is tangled together. In his songwriting, references to politicians, global conflict, and leftist theory abound. To lay out his themes, woods folds time like a sheet of paper, pulling disparate historical events into the same space. “There are a lot of histories,” woods says, “so if we examine the places where they bump up against one another, then maybe we get something approximating truth.” The first verse of “spongebob,” the opening track from his and producer Kenny Segal’s 2019 album, Hiding Places, weaves together mentions of Mao Zedong, Robert Mugabe’s eviction of white Zimbabwean farmers from their land, the capture of Saddam Hussein, and the Atlantic slave trade, all to illustrate the ambient stress of living in the present-day United States.

Woods’s parents met in New York City as graduate students. His mother is a Jamaican English-literature scholar and feminist writer, and his father was a political refugee from Zimbabwe with a PhD in history and a law degree. Woods was born in Washington, DC, but his father moved back to Zimbabwe in 1979 after the collapse of Rhodesia, eventually holding two separate positions in Robert Mugabe’s Marxist government. The family followed in 1981 but moved back to DC in late 1989 after woods’s father’s death. After a stint at Howard University and an itinerant young adulthood, woods settled in New York City. He wrote his first rap while working in a Maine laundromat in 1997, and when he moved back to New York in 2000, he invested all the money he had into a music career, eventually founding his influential label, Backwoodz Studioz, in 2002. His first album, Camouflage, was released in 2003, but his music career didn’t take off until the release of History Will Absolve Me in 2012. (The album’s cover is a close-up of Mugabe’s face). Woods and fellow Brooklyn emcee E L U C I D formed Armand Hammer in 2013, and between his group and solo work, he’s released more than twenty albums in less than two decades, to increasingly wide critical acclaim. (In all public-facing photographs and videos, woods keeps his face or eyes obscured, a choice he made early in his career to protect his anonymity in a constantly surveilled world.)

I spoke to woods twice for this interview: once at his apartment in Brooklyn, seated beside boxes of his LPs, and again via phone on July 4, 2024. Rather than focus on his musical output, each conversation spiraled through time, with woods moving from one historical event to another in a matter of seconds. “Human behavior is a problem,” he said at one point, illustrating that one of our most consistent through lines in history is also one of our most inescapable.

Not all conversations are as linear or succinct as they appear. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.—Ed.

[kjbytheriver]

When I was around 16 I got really into South African rock music and COD 4, so naturally I started working out a lot and learning a lot about South African history and Zimbabwe, and I became convinced I was going to join the marines and go to Zimbabwe and save the country by reinstating something similar to the Rhodesian A/B government under UDI through like, sheer force and charisma. I then joined the merchant marine instead because I wanted to be on the ocean and decided that the Zimbabweans could probably save themselves after subscribing to a bunch of Zimbabwean newspapers and realizing one lone white savior that doesn’t know a word of Shona past “good morning” probably won’t save them, either.

[burlveneer-music]

Lori Vambe - Space-Time Dreamtime - Strut Records reissue of 2 private-press percussion albums from 1982

Occasionally, you find music outside the commercial mainstream, outside of everything – the music of visionaries, eccentrics, inventors, loners, the keepers of secrets, the path-finders. Moondog, Daphne Oram, Harry Partch are from this mould. And so too is Lori Vambe. New on Strut, the first ever reissue of Vambe’s privately pressed original albums from 1982, Drumland Dreamland and Drumgita Solo. A self-taught drummer, inventor, and sonic experimentalist, Lori Vambe is a unique figure in British music. Creator of his own instrument, the drumgita (pronounced ‘drum-guitar’) or string-drum, Vambe intended to create a kind of music that had never been made in order to pursue access to the fourth dimension. Vambe was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and his father, Lawrence Vambe, was a noted Zimbabwean journalist and author. Moving to London in 1959, Vambe immersed himself in the Brixton squat movement of the early 1970s, teaching himself to drum and creating a short-lived performance group, The Healing Drums of Brixton (Vambe, the sculptor Alexander Sokolov and outsider musician Michael O’Shea). Vambe later had a dream-vision involving a feeling of ecstasy while playing an unknown instrument that extended from his own umbilical cord; the instrument would manifest itself as the drumgita. In 1982, he privately produced a pair of home recordings, the diptych set Drumgita Solo and Drumland Dreamland, releasing them on his own label Drumony. On these records, he rejected any commercial aesthetic and employed tape effects, temporal shifts, reversed sound and overdubbing to investigate space-time and access the fourth dimension. Combining layered drums with the rhythmic throb of the drumgita and, on Drumland Dreamland, an improvised piano performance by Brazilian concert pianist Rafael Dos Santos, the albums are both hypnotic and perturbing. Both albums were cut at Portland Studios by Chas Chandler and stand as a concealed monument of Black British experimental music. 500 copies of each record were originally pressed, and both were released together. The albums were never performed live. For this first ever reissue of Drumland Drumland and Drumgita Solo, Strut presents the two albums in their original artwork, housed in a deluxe slipcase including an additional 8-page 12”-sized booklet featuring unseen photos, liner notes and an interview with Lori Vambe by The Wire magazine writer Francis Gooding. Both albums are fully remastered by The Carvery. 

[mczee]

McZee (Born Tinotenda Machida)  is a prominent beatmaker and producer hailing from Harare, the vibrant capital city of Zimbabwe. Renowned for his innovative contributions to the Zimbabwean Hip-Hop scene, McZee has carved out a significant niche in the industry, becoming a key figure in the production of numerous acclaimed tracks. Despite being independent, McZee has developed strong affiliations with notable South African and Harare-based record labels, The Mix Masterz and Global Records. These connections have provided him with a platform to collaborate with some of the most influential names in Zimbabwean Hip-Hop, further cementing his reputation as a top-tier producer. Among his impressive portfolio of productions, several standout hits have gained widespread recognition. McZee is the mastermind behind "Mariia" by Jnr Brown, a track that has garnered considerable attention for its catchy beats and dynamic composition. Another notable production is "My Damn Self" by the late Calvin and Takura, a song that has resonated with many for its unique sound and lyrical prowess. Additionally, McZee produced "Maswera Sei" by Brythree-sixty, a track celebrated for its powerful delivery and compelling beat. His impressive portfolio includes work with Gigi LaMayne from South Africa and numerous Zimbabwean artists such as VengeMuzik, Synik, Trap-C, Zimbayana Jones, King Aktive, Soko Matemai (Sharky), Myke Pimp, Savage, and DJ Naida. Additionally, McZee has extended his reach internationally, producing for Australian-based artist Mystik Becyad, and further South African talent like Karma. McZee is childhood friends with rapper Michael Chiunda and has been making music with him since they were teenagers.McZee's partnership with Michael Chiunda has been a fruitful and creative venture, combining Chiunda's artistic vision with McZee's exceptional production skills. Together, they have crafted a series of compelling tracks that showcase their unique synergy and mutual dedication to pushing the boundaries of Zimbabwean music. Together, they have crafted a series of compelling tracks that showcase their unique synergy and mutual dedication to pushing the boundaries of Zimbabwean music. Their collaborations have resulted in a rich, textured musical experience that resonates with audiences and highlights the best of both their talents. His collaboration with Michael Chiunda on "Jeong (2021)" further showcases his versatility and ability to craft hits across various styles within the genre. McZee's influence extends beyond just these tracks, as he continues to shape the soundscape of Zimbabwean Hip-Hop. His dedication to his craft and his knack for producing memorable beats have made him a respected and influential figure in the industry. With each new project, McZee reaffirms his position as a pivotal force in the evolution of Hip-Hop in Zimbabwe, contributing to the genre's growth and helping to elevate it on the international stage.

[snowboyclarkov]

Incorrect Dialogue: Top Gear AI -> Beyblade Burst - 2

More Top Gear AI dialogue turned into random blader scenarios. As if the first one wasn't enough. Obvious dialogue alterations to further fit the bladers and for humour.

Phi: This is the all new Vauxhall Corsa. It starts at 18 billion Zimbabwean Dollars, it has 7 horsepower and comes with all sorts of new gadgets.

*Phi gets into the car.*

Phi: Look at this! It already comes pre-installed with a Halfords racing spoiler for extra downforce in the Akabane farm.

*Phi drifts the car in front of Taiga Akabane and Kana Akabane.*

Phi: But here is the feature I think Corsa buyers will enjoy the most. If I push this button on the dashboard, a magnet activates and it starts to pull Aiger Akabane into the passenger seat.

*Aiger escapes the magnet and books it.*

Phi: I think Evel needs to work on this feature.

*Phi drives past a crashed car.*

Phi: I bet a tenner that's Hyde. Back to the Tower.

*Arthur sticks the rave music on.*

Arthur: This is Beyblade, from Colombia.

*Pax slumps onto and hoards a pile of drugs.*

Phi: My nose, it burns.

*Lui does a weird dance.*

Lain: Flare, Flare, Flare, Flare-

Rashad: Shut up about fucking Flare!

Lain: -Flare, Flare.

Shu: Theodore Glass wants my Spryzen.

Lui: Piss off to Sol.

Gwyn: Cock, I need math.

Shu: Get away from me, Ashtem!

*Theodore falls over and Arthur laughs at him.*

[mywifeleftme]

340: Various Artists // Two Tribes

Two Tribes Various Artists 2019, Agogo (Bandcamp)

A double-LP mixtape/compilation from Hannover electronic label Agogo Records, Two Tribes “makes an effort to give insight in how [sic] musicians living in Europe today incorporate and transfer musical traditions particularly from the African continent into their oeuvre” (per the liner notes). Ostensibly, everyone here is either a musician living in Europe with African roots of some kind, or is a European musician collaborating with Africans, though in some cases what you get is just a Euro DJ using a few “tribal” sounding drum stems.

I had a lot of fun listening to the most ‘70s sounding funk stuff here and trying to guess how white the musicians were, but I was underprepared for the intensity of unpasteurized Funky Continental Guyness I was exposed to. Winners included guitarist Petri Kautto of Finnish-Beninese Afro-jazz combo Trio Toffa (pretty good), who strongly resembles Bill Nighy wearing a bucket hat with fake dreads attached to it, and Berlin’s slavishly authentic Afro-funk group Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers, who look like the S-Bahn Bloodhound Gang.

Petri Kauto of Trio Toffa

Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers

The compilation has what strikes me as a downright quaint (and very German) attitude towards the notion of cultural exchange that runs the risk of being pilloried for appropriation, but I’m sympathetic to it. Certainly, a collaboration like that between Zimbabwean mbira player Jacob Mafuleni and French DJ Gary Gritness that is neither explicitly “African” or “European” is by nature a more truly cross-cultural enterprise than Onom Agemo’s reverent homage or German DJ Elias “Agogo” Foerster’s vaguely Books-ish chops of African beat and vocal samples, but whatever. Influence is impossible to strictly regulate, and I don’t know that it’s even desirable to. White guys nerding out and riffing on the music of the cultures their governments currently oppress isn’t a problem—that their governments are oppressing those cultures, and that the scenes they operate within often have the taint of trickled down racism despite their utopian values, is. One hopes that Agogo and these musicians are cognizant of these challenges, even as they radiate a genuine and laudable affection for African music.

It’s worth noting that, while the European club sounds represented range from ‘90s style techno and 2-step to more modern forms of minimal house and bass music, the African face of the coin is almost exclusively defined by the funky ‘70s and ‘80s sounds that drive record collectors into quasi-sexual spasms. Being one of those guys, I don’t mind it aesthetically, but it’s interesting that the most contemporary-sounding piece is the 15-minute minimal house track “Just in a Moment to Find a Way to Sun Day” by Ivorian-born Hamburg DJ Raoul K. The centrepiece of K’s track sounds to me like a synthesized mbira, but he doesn’t feel the need to flag his music as African—perhaps because he actually is a young guy of African descent. Instead, he puts on a master class in using simple shifts in rhythm and dynamics to keep a room vibing in near perpetuity.

Anyway, as a mix, Two Tribes contains a lot of fine music and flows nicely. I dig Andrea Benini’s Francis Bebey-esque “Jawa” and the K track in particular, but nothing aside from Selma Uamusse’s anime-sounding “Mozambique (Ao Sul Do Mundo)” actively irks me. I’ve listened to Two Tribes a lot more than many other records in my collection that dig deeper, or make more powerful statements, because in the end, I just like the way it sounds.

340/365