Blackshikisha – Moods Ft. C-Blak, Frank Folupa & Siyabonga Skhondo

It sits on the Music Take Control EP, and the idea behind it is something everyone understands. You can be laughing with friends at lunch and quiet by evening, with nothing in particular having happened. Anyone who has ever been told “you are acting strange today” knows exactly what this is about.

The plural in the title is what caught my eye. Nobody says one feeling, they say several, which suggests a song that does not settle into one emotion. That fits the way the credits are arranged too. With Blackshikisha, C-Blak, Frank Folupa and Siyabonga Skhondo all attached, you can imagine each guest offering a different temper to the same subject, though the record itself is the best judge of that.

There is also something honest about naming a song this way. Most of us pretend we are fine, especially at work or in front of family. A record that openly admits feelings change from hour to hour gives people permission to stop pretending for a few minutes. Our culture does not always make room for that, and music is often the only place where it happens.

It is a good fit for late nights, long rides home and any time you want company without having to explain yourself.

Download MP3