The music of Dumama + Kechou transcends the cultures of the two main players here, to encompass styles of other parts of the African continent, and jazz elements as well. The duo's newest album is Buffering Juju and it's out on the Mushroom Hour label today. Featuring an appearance from Angel Bat Dawid, this record is one of the most exhilarating you're likely to hear this spring.
"leaving prison" sets the tone for this concept album, but "wessi walking mama (feat. siya makuzeni)" completely enchants with the plucked strings and subtle vocals doing the work here. Elsewhere, "intaka" blends a funky rhythmic hook with the vocal-lines that pull the listener into the mood. "uveni (feat. angel bat dawid + dylan greene)" uses the clarinet from Angel Bat Dawid to great effect, anchoring the percussive number to the roiling patterns of free jazz, while closer "mother time" is epic and haunting.
dumama (Gugulethu Duma) and kechou (Kerim Melik Becker) met in Cape Town and the music the musicians of German descent (Kechou) and African descent (Dumama) make is special. There's a story here within this record, but the story is also one of an undulating mood that draws one in easily. Without following the narrative in a literal sense, one does get a feeling of liberation being conveyed here, with the vibe one that's more explicit as the music leans into the rhythmic instruments and more subtle when the vocals are mournful and wistful. And, as if you couldn't tell by now, Buffering Juju is the kind of release that defies an easy description, but it's one that touches the heart and which sounds unlike anything else you're going to hear this week.
Buffering Juju is out today via Mushroom Hour.
More details on Dumama + Kechou via the official websites for Dumama and Kechou.
[Photo: Ayanda Duma]