Magwe ZA – Emtubatuba Ft. Toxiq, Mavoice, Sbobo, Keketso Libate, Sicelo Tebogo Mohlala & Kopano Mnisi

The guest list deserves attention first. Toxiq, Mavoice, Sbobo, Keketso Libate, Sicelo Tebogo Mohlala and Kopano Mnisi all share the credits. In Nigeria we know how rare it is for a record with that many names to feel like a proper song and not a crowded stage. Handling seven voices takes planning, and anybody who has watched a posse cut go wrong will appreciate the difficulty.

Then there is the word itself. It is long, it rolls off the tongue, and it has the bounce that makes people repeat it without knowing what it means. I will not pretend to give a translation, because that is better left to those who speak the language. What can be said is that Emtubatuba reads like a name that belongs to a specific corner of the world, and that gives the record a sense of place.

Records like this usually work best in company. Put it on in a car full of friends or at a small gathering where everyone is already talking over each other, and the large cast makes natural sense.

It is a reminder that collaboration can be a whole mood on its own, and that sometimes the more voices in the room, the more fun everyone has.

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