Monoswezi - A Je

The Guardian 60

(Riverboat)

Among the endless varieties of “world fusion”, this Afro-Nordic outfit remain a fascinating oddity. Norwegian Hallvard Godal fell in love with the mesmeric minimalism of Mozambique’s music during a stay in the country, combining it with his own serpentine reed playing. This third album reprises the parched atmosphere of the previous two to good effect, adding fresh flavours from banjo and African ngoni, though the introduction of harmonium from Sufi qawwali proves a loan too far. The powerful vocals of Hope Masike and Calu Tsemane are a better foil for the group’s circular, chiming grooves, notably on the title track.

Sun Jul 16 07:00:15 GMT 2017

The Guardian 60

(Riverboat Records)

Cool sonic explorations from a Scandinavian-African fusion band who specialise in unexpected instrumentation. They call themselves Monoswezi because the founding members came from Mozambique, Norway, Sweden and Zimbabwe, but the musical range on their third album has expanded to include influences from West Africa, America and Asia. Many of the songs are based around insistent, minimalist riffs, matched against laid-back harmony vocals and gently driving percussion. But to this they add an array of quiet surprises. So the opening Loko U Muka starts with solo harmonium, then eases into a cappella African vocals that are joined by the intriguing combination of banjo and mbira, the Zimbabwean thumb piano. Elsewhere, on Dzimani, the Malian percussionist Sidiki Camara switches to the ngoni lute for an equally successful collaboration with banjo and clarinet. The best tracks on this entertaining set are based around sturdy southern African traditional melodies.

Thu Jul 27 17:45:03 GMT 2017