It has been a long time coming, but Sun Xa Experiment’s debut album is well worth the wait. Umculo Umuthi is a live affair, although you’d never guess it – the sound is clear-cut and expansive, extended tracks clocking at up to 10 minutes each. The result is a seven-track album which spans over an hour, channeling a sort of jam-session casualness which is just what lends them their charm.
Deep-rooted African sound is their game – only make it world music. Which is the same thing really, when you think about it. They consider themselves a world ancestral band, which just about sums up the percussion-heavy, jazz-influenced texture of their sound.
Umculo Umuthi translates as “music is medicine”, and the sentiment carries through the entire album. The melodies are intricate and bold – pitting traditional percussion and a prevailing muffled bass line (which carries through as the backbone of every track), alongside driving electronic guitar melodies and unpredictable tempo.
Ululations ripple through “Bayede” and “Bana Ba Baloyi”, while “Isigqi” picks up the pace and rousing rhythm gives “Makhosi” enough energy to pack a punch. It’s as engrossing as it is experimental, artfully balanced and cascading through its length – Umculo Umuthi has put a unique strain of Afro-world music on the map.
