THERE is an ultimate need for change in the thinking around the long-held conviction that when it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
It appears that Bulawayo’s Tribal House music band Djembe Monks are on a transonic peregrination to unshroud that claim.
Just about a year ago, our favourite house troupe dropped the moving Rainmaker video, a contemporary interpretation of a traditional rain-dance ritual performed by the BaKalanga people of Zimbabwe. Unveiled in August 2020 amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, the smashing jam pointed to water scarcity as another pandemic.
Well, the boys are back again in our ears with the Brad Michell Dub version of the song.
Bradley Michell is the Event Production Manager and Sound Engineer at MMX Companies, Zimbabwe’s only professional film and media equipment rental facility.
Released on Wednesday, Djembe Monks have this to say about the recent version:
“This is a manifestation of our raw ethnic & electronic sound. The concept touches on the global water crisis and draws inspiration from a traditional rain-dance performed by the BaKalanga people from Botswana and Western Zimbabwe. The narrative is rooted in traditional, ethnic Zimbabwean Mythology & folklore, interwoven with contemporary elements & inspired by the ‘Noir Wave’ movement. The experimental, movement piece takes us on the journey of the calling of the ‘iwosana’ (a chosen medium) who is a communicator for the god Mwali and the ancestors. We aimed [to] capture the Djembe Monks organic, live performance energy while conveying a narrative inspired by an ancient Zimbabwean tradition and exploring its relevance in the modern world.”
Djembe Monks are a trio who produce and perform tribal house music, a blend of traditional drums with electronics in a house/techno/afro-fusion. The troupe comprises Emmanuel “Rootzkolossal The Rabbi” Nkomo on Congo drums, Ngqabutho “Slimzar Wa Africa” Ncube the DJ and Khotso “TortureDrum” Nare on drums.
The Zimbabwean act radiates an inimitable and enthralling blend of house music and live percussion, which forms a spirited performance that has been the bedrock of their success in creating contemporary and traditional dance music.
Listen to Rainmaker by Djembe Monks (Brad Michell Dub) on YouTube and tell you what, in the words of journalist Larry Kwirirayi, the heads will definitely love this track.
