mbiralab:
mbira music
An evolution in the ancient lineage of mbira music
Mbira dzavadzimu
Introducing the music of mbiralab
This is a new interpretation of the music of the mbira dzavadzimu, an ancient instrument from Zimbabwe. Mbira music is used and has been for generations, as part of traditional ceremonies to generate trance and aid connection to the spirit world.
Listen to the ancient voice
The sound of the mbira has been used in the past to add texture
and beauty to many forms of music, this is the first time the
music in its traditional form has been faithfully transposed and
reinterpreted with all its intricacy and power, into electronic form. There is an album of 8 tracks with more on the way and the music also exists as live performance.
and beauty to many forms of music, this is the first time the
music in its traditional form has been faithfully transposed and
reinterpreted with all its intricacy and power, into electronic form. There is an album of 8 tracks with more on the way and the music also exists as live performance.
mbiralab album
The mbiralab album is a collection of traditional pieces, a blend of the re-imagined music and the songs that accompany it sung live by Kennedy Chinyere, Zimbabwean singer and mbira player.
The mbiralab album is not yet available, we are looking for ways to get it out there. Please contact us if you can help with this or want to learn more. Meanwhile check out the three tracks below and have a read of the first review.
The mbiralab album is not yet available, we are looking for ways to get it out there. Please contact us if you can help with this or want to learn more. Meanwhile check out the three tracks below and have a read of the first review.
Listen
3 full tracks from the current album
Hear the latest music from mbiralab on Soundcloud
Mbiralab: First Review
Mbira Magic site in the mbira links section to find out more about mbira.
Ancient trance music fused with modern electronica - sounds like some kind of Frankenstein experiment, right? Maybe, but this fractal-like song structure is the perfect candidate for electrification.
Considered to be ‘the world’s most fascinating music’, traditional mbira songs are already the product of a long lineage of cross-fertilisation back at home in Zimbabwe; where they can be heard at all-night ceremonies for healing, celebration, trance, and accessing other-worldly wisdom.
One software developer we spoke to considers it to be ‘psychoactive music’, suggesting this might just be the sound our ecstatic ravers have been searching for.
And the result? Atmospheric soundscapes with ancient roots. Mbira enthusiasts will recognise the interlocking melody lines of traditional standards, and appreciate their faithful re-rendering; while the modern format offers Westerners a taste of something new in a surprisingly familiar package.
Every track isgraced by the soulful singing and profound spoken-word of Kennedy Chinyere; my favourite of which is the epic Bukatiende. A close runner up is Marenje, where listeners can clearly hear the mbira instrument in both the intro and outro; sandwiching the listening experience with authenticity.
And finally, for those seeking a fuller experience, look out for the mbiralab live set, an opportunity to enjoy the music with others while it evolves - like it’s done in Zimbabwe.
Highly recommended.
Andy Fowler - MbiraMagic.Com
