When it comes to music, Zimbabwe has a rich tapestry of indigenous sounds that sometimes feels under appreciated. Yet this has not stopped artists from embracing that heritage, and pushing boundaries by creating something new from the old. The instruments of our ancestors are combined with modern inventions, traditional meeting the contemporary, poetry passed on through the ages blended with emerging global trends.
Among the names engaged in such exploration is Mussa Effect. An artist whose music is seeped in tradition, and a global ambassador for Zimbabwe’s indigenous sounds. The singer recently released Koshesa Mukana, a 6 track album 10 years in making. Inspired by Mussa’s personal trials and tribulations, the artist describes the core message of the project as being valuing the opportunities we get, even though they may come with hardships.
Koshesa Mukana is as eclectic in sound as it is in subject matter. It carries a distinctly Zimbabwean variant of Afro-fusion. Something the artist seems to have done intentionally, in the hopes of both making the global audience fall in love with Zimbabwean music and in tandem having Zimbabweans rediscover their indigenous sounds. The result is music that’s easy on the ear, with a dna that can only be Zimbabwean.
Kicking off the project is Madzimbabwe, a song that speaks about the safeguarding of our heritage. Not only in terms of upholding our cultural values but everything else in the country we inherited. The song is dominated by a percussive sound, offset by the subtle strumming of a guitar. Although it seems to lament to those who have passed, it’s message is very much for those present: “Pasi ramakasiya, musha wavebomha/Vana vamakasiya, chivanhu havachaziva.”
Tsvarakadenga brings to mind an age old Shona poem titled “Rure rure.” The track embraces the mbira and tells the story of a once in a lifetime love. In the same vein, Maidei is centred on a chosen loved one and it speaks to desire: “Ndinoda iwe Maidei, tigare tose/Ndinoda iwe Maidei, tidanane.”
All through this album there’s a certain folk influence, in both lyricism and sound. There is age old wisdom and the story of Shona customs, delivered with pop sensibilities over indigenous instrumentation. This is evident in tracks like Amai, which is an ode to our mothers and their traditional role, and Tirivamwe, which carries a uniting message of how we are one; the long held belief in ubuntu.
Koshesa Mukana is an album seeped in Zimbabwean tradition, but easily appreciated by any ear. It’s biggest fault might be it’s shortness in length, yet the diversity in sound makes it feel a lot longer than it is. It serves as Mussa Effect’s reintroduction to the Zimbabwean audience and I don’t think he could’ve delivered a better second meeting.
