Black Motion – Empilweni Ft. Spice Drums, Philharmonic, Thabo Roy Mabogwane, Mpho Thobejane, Bongumenzi Kevin Mkhonta and Mbuso Fihamonique Twala

The word is Zulu and means in life, or in living. It is a simple phrase, but it can open many doors. It can speak about the joys of being alive, the lessons that come with it or the struggle to keep going when things are tight. Anyone who has buried a relative or survived a bad year will hear something personal in it.

I like how open it is. Life is not one thing. It is weddings and funerals, hustle and rest, good news on Monday and bad news by Friday. A title that simply says in life leaves room for every one of those moods, and it is the kind of broad idea you can build a record around without boxing anyone in.

The record appears on Pula le Maatla, with Spice Drums, Philharmonic, Thabo Roy Mabogwane, Mpho Thobejane, Bongumenzi Kevin Mkhonta and Mbuso Fihamonique Twala all sharing the credit. Philharmonic in the line-up is a name that catches the eye, as it hints at something broad and layered, though I would not guess how it shows up on the record itself.

Empilweni feels like a record for a reflective Sunday afternoon, when the house is calm and you finally have time to think about where life has brought you.

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