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Witch: Sogolo | Ammar Kalia's global album of the month
After the band’s 2023 reunion and a revamp of members comes this imaginative and playful set showing 74-year-old Emmanuel ‘Jagari’ Chanda’s undiminished vocal power
Where Zango saw Chanda, Mwondela and new additions Jacco Gardner (bass) and Nico Mauskoviç (drums) experiment with soul melodies and hip-hop, these 12 tracks explore new territory: offbeat reggae rhythms on the sprightly Totally Devoted, group vocal harmonies on Tiponde Madzi; the soaring Mdou Moctar-inspired desert rock of (In Memory Of) John. The wailing funk of Queenless King harks back to 70s Witch staples such as Lazy Bones, and highlight Nadi could be peak Led Zeppelin if not for Chanda’s playfully AutoTuned Bemba lyrics skipping over the band’s chugging psych riffs. PVC pipe-playing quintet Nana Benz du Togo return with Sé Nam (Komos), an infectiously funky exploration of group vocal harmonies, synth melody and propulsive bass, peaking on the dancefloor focus of Fovi.
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