T
94
Drum: THE SOUNDS OF MUSIC
he
Sounds
of Music
New music pops up at all times, in all places the world over.
Hattie Collins searches out the finest sounds to be found.
he first thing that strikes you about the
South African born Mpho (Zulu for gift)
Skeef is her distinctive voice. Part punk,
inflected with lashings of spiky soul, the daughter
of ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse boasts a vocal that is instantly
identifiable. Musically too she is far from regular
R&B fare; the effusive drums and horns of D on’t
L ik e Y ou follow perfectly from her spot on Bugz In
The Attic’s electro exploder B ooty L a L a, while N ot
Complaining is stripped back spiritualised soul at its
best. Born to mixed-race parentage during the height
of SA’s apartheid when such relationships were
illegal, Skeef spent the first year of her life in jail.
It’s clear the 28 year old has much to draw on,
personally and sonically. “My music has many
different influences,” she says. “I was born in South
Africa and I was bought up on South African music.
At school I was into Prince and later bashment and
hip hop. They all inform what I do.” There will be
a series of 12”s released this spring and an album
in the summer released through Documented.
T
She may be known for a feud with Blu Cantrell,
but it is Lina’s music that is the real talking point.
Renowned for debut album Strang er O n Earth,
the blues-soaked jazz swinger returns with the
sumptuous sounds of I nner B eauty. Now signed
to Hidden Beach, home of Jill Scott, Lina’s second
album is a multifarious mixture of lovelorn laidback
grooves and defiant spirited soul. The uplifting
refrains of I A m showcase the singer’s extraordinary
vocal while the standout sounds of A round T he
W orld features the considerable talents of Anthony
Hamilton. The album is due out now in the States
and should be available on UK import imminently.
On the reggae tip, VP Records is putting out a
wealth of new material from artists as varied as
Marcia Griffiths, Jah Cure, I Wayne and Shaggy.
Griffiths, the Empress of reggae and former I-Three
Marley harmonist is a particular high point with her
rootsy reggae and conscious chat tempered by
plentiful humour and a voluptuous vocal. The
imprisoned Cure is also another one to watch.
Although it’s disappointing the Sasha-featured I
L ov e Y ou isn’t included, tracks like Song s O f
Freed om and Spread J ah L ov e are more than food
for thought. Both Cure’s voice and message reaches
far behind bars, creeping deep into your
consciousness.
Soundtracks can be a spotty bunch, but here’s one
that more than merits mention. H otel R wand a sees
sounds from the film of the same name that