AT A GLANCE:
WHAT: Africa Express's Molo EP
WHERE TO FIND IT: All digital music platforms
WHY LISTEN: The seminal music project has created a collaboration between Damon Albarn and South African musicians to bring the new sounds of the country to the world. Featuring appearances by BCUC, Zolani Mahola, Moonchild Sanelly, Sho Madjozi, Morena Leraba, Infamous Boiz and more.
FULL REVIEW:
In 2006 Blur's frontman Damon Albarn took a trip to Mali in the company of fellow musicians, including Martha Wainwright and Fatboy Slim. They spent nights jamming with legendary Malian musicians such as Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyaté and Amadou & Mariam.
The resulting album, Mali Music, was a groundbreaking reconfiguration of traditional African sounds with modern western beats. The Africa Express project was born - resulting in a legendary five-hour-gig at the Glastonbury Festival the following year.
Since then Africa Express has produced a series of collaborative albums that highlight the music of the world - from the Congo to Syria and now SA.
The Molo EP, released this week as a teaser for a full album coming out later this year, is the result of collaboration between Albarn and local musicians early last year in Johannesburg. It's an eclectic mix of sounds that incorporates elements of gqom, the alt-rock traditional fusion of Spoek Mathambo and the maskandi guitar drive of Phuzekhemisi that serves as a kind of Graceland for 21st-century South African music.
It will be promoted on March 29 with a sold-out gig in a circus tent that headlines the Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture celebrations.
As lead singer of Freshlyground, Zolani Mahola has performed alongside such luminaries as Hugh Masekela, Johnny Clegg, BB King, Harry Belafonte and, of course, Shakira for everyone's favourite Fifa World Cup anthem Waka Waka. Mahola says she's "very much into bringing together different worlds", so she jumped at the opportunity when she was asked to participate.
WATCH | The music video for Shakira's Fifa World Cup anthem, Waka Waka..