Feja Feja

Haling from Victoria Falls on Zimbabwe’s border with Zambia, Flying Bantu have been a fixture on southern Africa’s touring and festival circuit for some years, opening for the likes of the late Oliver Mtukudzi and Johnny Clegg. Led by singer and principal songwriter Tinashe Maoneni, this is the five-piece band’s second album and its frothy, feel-good fusion of rock and reggae with touches of funk and jazz is highly derivative and one would guess designed to go down a storm playing live in the tourist hotels. On record, the lack of originality means they struggle to hold the attention for long – which isn’t to say that Feja Feja is without its moments and Amkela Moyo’s spiralling Congolese-style guitar on ‘Dzora Moyo’, the stabbing horns on ‘Come to Me’ and the infectious upbeat pop of ‘Chizukuru’ are all appealing enough in their way.