RATING: 5 out of 5  Loading ...

“I had a very strong vision in mind for the album,” the artist says of this - her own description. “For me it’s about bringing everything that makes up village life in Africa into an urban setting in a way that’s easy for everyone to relate to.”

In pursuit of this vision, Zamajobe again teamed up with musician, songwriter and producer, Erik Paliani, who helmed her 2006 debut ‘Nadwo Yami’. With the help of some enormously talented players, the two have crafted an album that sees Zamajobe reflect the cool spirit of the world’s most gifted modern soul singers, delivered through a filter that only a thoroughly conscious 21st century Zulu woman can bring.

The 11-track offering conjures up a mythical place that reflects the multiple meanings in its title. “Ndoni Yamanzi means a black stone or it could mean a beautiful black woman,” Zamajobe explains. But, intriguingly, it can also signal purity, authenticity, organicness and more.

“I believe that I’ve made an album that defies constraints,” Zamajobe says. “Young or old, if you live in the village or the town, you can connect with what I am saying and with the groove-based music that supports the lyrics.”

She’s not wrong: Flitting across the album is a beauty that requires no special skills or background to find its footing in the heart of listeners.

Sure there’s plenty of the kind of cool jazz that Zamajobe’s fans have come to expect from her on the album - particularly on songs like ‘Nokuthula’ which features Neil Engel on trumpet and Sam Mataure on drums on one of Ndoni Yamanzi’s most elegant and sparse songs. Jazz styling’s are also evident on ‘Come To Me’ and many of the other tracks on the album.

But taking centrestage are Zamajobe’s beguiling and bewitching vocals that are often supported by little more than Paliani’s guitar playing, as well as a rhythm section that never intrudes.

Take a listen to the supremely sophisticated ‘Fly’ to hear this near perfect music mix in action. Or press play on the album’s title track to be immersed in the transporting sound that Zamajobe and Paliani have so effortlessly crafted on Ndoni Yamanzi. The latter is a slow-build gift of a song that glides into the hearts and minds of listeners in the most enthralling way.

Ndoni Yamanzi also contains Zamajobe’s first song in Chichewa, ‘Mwezi S’unama’. Says Zamajobe, “Erik joked with me after we recorded it saying that if the song was played in Malawi, I would be given land for free, so beautiful did it turn out!”

For Zamajobe, her second album is the one that takes her closer to her true music identity.

“I feel like I am really finding my creative feet on this one. The first album happened in a fairly spontaneous way but with this one I wanted to take a step back and give some real thought to where I am going with my music. I knew I wanted it to be groove based and I knew that I wanted to conjure up a place where both the village and the town can exist together – and I think we’ve done that.”

Maria Kounelakis - Sony BMG

Click Here to sample the music from Ndoni Yamanzi