Maqhinga Hadebe – Khethile Khethile Ft. LIMIT NALA, Maqhinga Stanley Radebe & Sabelo Nala

The word at the centre means “has chosen” in isiZulu, and saying it twice gives it weight. Think of how an elder says a decision is final. Nobody argues after the second time. That repetition already tells you the subject is about commitment, even before you consider the music.

Choice is a big subject in real life. People choose partners, churches, careers, friends and sides in family disputes, and the consequences follow them for years. Sometimes the choice is made quietly and everybody else is left to react. Sometimes it is announced loudly at a gathering. A song with this kind of title could sit comfortably in either mood.

What stands out is the number of names credited. Three featured acts on one record means a lot of voices, and that usually changes how a song moves from one section to the next. I will not pretend to describe who does what, but the line-up alone makes it one to watch on the album.

The repeated title is the first sign that this record is about conviction, and it is the part of the idea most people will relate to. Khethile Khethile is the sort of phrase you can imagine people repeating at a wedding, or at a family meeting where a decision has finally been made.

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