In the past decade or two, a new breed of artists has been emerging on the world music stage. Unlike the giants of world music who emerged in the Seventies and Eighties--Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bob Marley, Youssou N'Dour, Nusrat Fateh Ali-Khan, to name a few--this new breed functions like the American and European artists who interpolated and assimilated elements of various foreign musical cultures into their music. Everyone --even people in rather remote areas--is now plugged into the same global grid. Bottom line: if you have access to a computer--or even a mobile phone!--you are in touch with and immersed in music and culture from the entire globe. So artists such as Rokia Traore from Mali, Chieck Lo from Senegal, Manu Chao from Spain, Chino from Jamaica, Buika from Spain and many more make music that may be rooted in the musical culture of their homelands but they take musical elements from any number of other cultures to create something fresh and unique. Indeed some of the most compelling artists now emerging are progressive artists originating outside the Western world.
One of these artists is Simphiwe Dana from South Africa. Now thirty years old, she has just released her third album, "Kulture Noir," and it confirms her as sublime artist of great depth. She's been called "the new Miriam Makeba" but any strong new female vocalist in South Africa tends to acquire that label. Her vocal style, though grounded in some of the same vocal traditions as Makeba's, isn't all that similiar. Others have compared her to Erykah Badu, though that seems more based on her "look" and presentation; on her first two albums she sported a huge elongated headdress a la Badu; in truth she sounds nothing like Badu. Dana was trained a as graphic designer so her album graphics, videos and personal presentation reflects an edgy, striking ambience, as seen in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRm74OwziZ4
More apt is the label "South Africa's answer to India.Arie." On the first two albums, her sound incorporated South African traditional music and township styles, jazz and soul/R & B. At times she could present as a jazz singer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNbjCmW5g4E
The new album feels more organic and skews that balance much more toward South Africa. But each track has elements from beyond the South African universe. The opening track, "Ndimi Nawe," is a stately 3/4 time groove created by acoustic piano, electric bass, acoustic guitar, trap drums, hand percussion, synthsizers, sitar, tabla and vocal chorus. Sung in Xhosa, it is a recognizable South African song form but the production and subtle contributions from the musicians take it beyond typical South African traditional or popular song. In the end it is uniquely gorgeous, led by Simphiwe's passionate, robust yet finely calibrated singing."Ndim Iqhawe Part 2", on the other hand, offers a gently rolling groove rooted in township jive and jazz anchored by strutting electric bass and jazz chords on the acoustic piano and chattering electric guitar. The groove intensifies as the musicians add inspired, unique embellishments with Simphiwe riffing and commenting vocally. "Zobuya nin iiNkomo" opens with a kora over electronic keyboard lines. Simphiwe sings with great deliberation and the results are unlike anything else I've heard. Perhaps the standout track on the album is "Undishiyilo", which is based on a slow, loping jive groove overlaid by strings and electronic elements, a percussion figure and trap drums. Everything about the track is understated, with Simphiwe laying in the groove, unhurried, until halfway through she soars up into the upper portion of her register, declaiming soulfully. The musicians move with her, intensifying the music in most subtle ways. It is simply mesmerizing.
"Kulture Noir" is mostly slower tempos and overall a mellow, almost meditative mood. The sonic palette shifts from song to song but it all coheres into an organic whole. You hear familiar sounds and rhythms but Simphiwe and her cast of impressive musicians create novel uses for these familiar elements.
Simphewe Dana has been touring in Europe for the past years but has yet to tour in America. As far as I know she has never performed here, though she has done some recording in the States. If she does make to America, run don't walk, to see her perform. Meanwhile, enjoy the three outstanding albums she's recorded to date, the impressive resume of an emerging star.
Comments