Words by Justin Turford

The myriad of musical genres emerging from the overcrowded streets of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is something to behold. When I say ‘emerged’ I mean that we in the western countries are finally catching up with genres that began their lives in the 90s on the most archaic of equipment and in the most desperate of environments. The hyperspeed Singeli sound has been noted (read HERE) but there are others just as deserving of digging into. Mchiriku is one such sound and Jamaica Mnanda have been at the forefront of the scene for some time. Like the infamous Konono No.1 and in the time-honoured African tradition of using, re-using and re-charging what they have around them, the group are renowned for stringing horn speakers down the street, the street becoming their stage. High pitched Casio keyboards, the rhythmic pummelling of chairs and the singers distorted voices blast through the system with life and their own unique energy. Emerging from the traditional travelling chakacha dance troupes, Mchiriku was created in the 90s when cheap Casio keyboards first became available and that thin awkward synthesised frequency has remained a staple of the genre.

All of the bands members live the challenging hustling life of Dar es Salaam’s informal settlement. Everyday touting for work as deiwaka, as drivers, conductors and those who beat the tin pige debe (whose role is to encourage customers to ride in the buses) and at the weekends, they rehearse early in the day before heading out to perform wherever they can. They have become local celebrities known throughout Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam and deserve further and more international acclaim.

Jamaica Mnanda share here the second release in a series of collaborations, reimagining the sound of the genre. In short, I LOVE IT and I would usually add my own thesaurus-backed opinion here but the press blurb nails it so sweetly, that they deserve the written stage…

Lisbon based producer DJ Firmeza, from the legendary Principe label, delivers a spellbinding Luso-African remix of Kama Ipo Ipo. Proudly representing the social housing neighbourhood Quinta do Mocho on the periphery of Lisbon, DJ Firmeza is a perfect fit for remixing the street sounds of Jamaica Mnanda. His remix uses the stripped down percussion from the original record, adding his own distinct driving Afro-Portuguese post-kuduro energy. A master of percussion, Firmeza retains the organic feel of the original track while transforming the sound of Dar es Salaam’s streets into pan-African club music.

OUT NOW!

BUY HERE! https://jamaica.bandcamp.com/album/kama-ipo-ipo-whats-yours-is-yours