Sounds Of Pamoja

Description

'Sounds of Pamoja' is Nyege Nyege Tapes' latest foray into the world of Tanzanian singeli music, an incredibly fast-paced dance genre that has rapidly spread from Dar es Salaam across the globe. Following 'Sounds of Sisso', a compilation that focused primarily on the sounds of Sisso Studios, this collection showcases recordings from Duke's Pamoja Records. And while its predecessor drew attention to the producers, 'Sounds of Pamoja' highlights the wide variety of MC talent under the Pamoja Records umbrella, with productions primarily by Duke. Tanzania is a young country; almost half of its population is under 15, and singeli is a recent genre. Duke started making music at 13, and by 18, he had opened Pamoja Records studio. He is joined on this compilation by a brilliant cast of young local talent: Pirato MC (20), Dogo Kibo (19), MC Kuke (20), Dogo Lizzy, MC Dinho, MC Kidene, and MCZO, a versatile rapper who accompanied Duke on a selection of dates during his world tour. The music is fresh and unpredictable, changing tempo every few bars and effortlessly weaving through hyper-local dance styles. But it's the MCs who take 'Sounds of Pamoja' to the next level, capitalizing on the vitality of Dar es Salaam's music scene, switching flows, and successfully keeping up with Duke's ultra-fast productions. This is breathtaking dance music that echoes the youthful spirit of Detroit techno or footwork, with rapid body movements, social combustion, and lyrical one-upmanship leading the way.