Mashabe Band made a habit of paying tribute to the inspiring figures who surrounded them. ‘Mandela’, named after the then-imprisoned Nelson, is a mesmeric trip through psychedelic strings and bellowed vocals typical of the kalindula music style. The genre itself was a groovy evolution of the Zamrock era which had given groups like WITCH such success a decade earlier. On this record, pulled from the great Zambia Music Parlour vault, Mashabe Band produced layered electric complexity through infectious rhythm. The instruments are unforgettably plucked, tapped, and strummed, edging past each other in unusual lilts, while contributing to the overarching tone of joy. For all that can be said, ‘Mandela’ is better listened to and felt.
24/30
A favourite: ‘Impalume Shaya’
‘Mandela’ was reissued via @sharp.flat_
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