Let Them Speak

This is an album recorded by 18 musicians, separated by 18,000km. The Umoza Music Project is a joint Malawian and British venture, and many of the musicians haven’t even met in real life. Not that it shows in the music. The first impression of this record is that of a sort of Afro-funk Beatles. The similarities are striking throughout: at times the guitar sounds as if it's being played by a Harrison tribute act. In tracks like ‘Upewe!’ the Beatles influence is so strong it's a bit distracting and it's no surprise when a sitar plays a prominent role on the last track, ‘Malawi Parts I & II’. This one was the genesis track of the project, and is one of the album's highlights. When not in Beatles mode, the group provide a couple of reggae tracks. Their quality is fairly good, and they feel like the most honest pieces on the whole album: ‘Reggae Banta’ is probably the best piece of the collection, featuring a great rap in Chichewa.

There are moments where they take a cheesy turn, but not offensively so. These moments can be ignored in the scope of the full album, which is fun and enjoyable – if not wholly original.