Anna Mudeka Band - Dendende
9/10
I’m a Tanzanian-Zambian Briton. However, during childhood, my parents’ African music translated as mere background noise. American hip-hop, British indie, and Beyoncé were the REAL DEAL. In (predominantly white) sleepy Stafford, I lived on a full-fat diet of Western Culture.
Like my hometown, Norwich has a tiny black population. Varied as our fine city is, it isn’t known for its vibrant African music scene. I didn’t expect any sort of musical intervention. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to discover Anna Mudeka Band. The band’s vocalist, Anna Mudeka hails from Zimbabwe. Mudeka, and her talented band, fuse Zimbabwean Mbira, Afro-Cuban and bluesy sounds. They’re based in Norwich, but Anna Mudeka Band are certainly not Normal for Norfolk.
Their latest culture-bender, Dendende, begins with an unashamedly traditional title track. Dendende eschews the English language, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Shona for ‘ground bee’, Dendende nods to a traditional African musical theme: diaspora. Throughout the album, Anna Mudeka Band continue to valorise African convention. Rhythmic patterns diverge, adjoining movements contrast, and beguiling repetition binds everything together. From just a brief listen, Dendende bares the influences of Vampire Weekend, Damon Albarn, and many other Western artists. IF you didn’t already know, you do now: Sub-saharan Africans were doing ‘jaunty guitar bounce’’ way before Mr Tembo.
Dendende acknowledges that cross-cultural influences can be fruitful. See track 6: Vende Mataram. Sourced from an Indian poem, classic Bengali lyrics waver over Afro-Cuban riffs and a funk bassline. This is a finely-tuned, captivating and versatile success. You can play it at parties, on summery car rides, or relaxing evenings in. Just, whatever you do, don’t make it background music.
9/10
