Ndzi Teke Riendzo

Last year Honest Jon's released a well-received compilation titled Shangaan Electro. The album focused on a synthesized style of ancient and modern which had evolved in the north-eastern province of Limpopo in South Africa, involving the use of keyboards, breakneck marimba (xylophone) beats and distorted vocal samples. The comparison might be a little glib, but it was not entirely unreasonable to think of Shangaan Electro as a kind of South African version of the tradi-modern stylings of the Congotronics bands, such as Konono No 1. Ndzi Teke Riendzo is cut from similar, if slightly less frenetic, musical cloth. In fact, we might dub the music ‘Shangaan Gospeltronics’, for Foster Manganyi is a pastor in Limpopo and the ten songs he performs on this rather extraordinary album are hymns of praise to the Lord, with titles such as ‘Ndzi To Tivisela’ (I Will Keep on Praying) and ‘Hi Tirhela Tilo’ (Working for the Lord). Over a palette of crudely sampled skittering drums and synth keyboards, he sings in a soulful basso profundo, backed by a spirited traditional South African gospel choir.

The melodies have a familiar township surge and the harmonies are wonderfully uplifting, even on tracks with apocalyptic titles such as ‘Misava Ya Fova’ (The World is Dying). There's little evidence of any Western production values, so the overall feeling is of a 21st century field recording. Quite remarkable, in its way.