Made in Malawi

There has sadly been very little international exposure for the music and musicians of Malawi. There is no immediately identifiable contemporary Malawi sound and the music generally has influences of rumba from adjacent Tanzania and nearby Congo, plus the all-pervasive sounds of reggae and pop. Neil Nayar is a singer-songwriter from Kent in England who has settled in Lilongwe, where he has teamed up with local musicians to produce their own fusion, one they call Afro-country.

There is evidence of African music in this recording, particularly in the guitar-work, but primarily the songs are sung in English and the music has a light international country/pop sound. One might expect this to be a lightweight affair then, but the reality is that they have created a thoroughly charming fusion of country rock with some African pop elements. Nayar has a captivating voice. He also plays an acoustic guitar that blends seamlessly with the sparkling electric guitar of Blessings Nkhoma. The end result? Refreshing and unpretentious.