Gonyeti rolls on with new album

09 Jul, 2017 - 00:07 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Takudzwa Chihambakwe
ZIMBAbWE’S music industry, a boys club, has been invaded. Finally, overflowing talent from a fairer specie is set to give the complacent boys a run for their money.
The invader is none other than former Third Generation band member Pamela Zulu aka Gonyeti, whose second album shows she is not here to make up the numbers. Titled “Madhin’adhin’ali”, the six-track album was released 10 days ago at Dandaro Inn in the capital as a follow up of her debut 2016, “One Day”.

Like a well-oiled “gonyeti” (haulage truck), she was firing on all cylinders as she weaved her exceptional voice into fresh beats from Oskid and KBN Studios. All six songs are sweet to the ear and it would be no surprise if this album lands a few nominations when the awards season comes by.

Going with a trending reggae vibe, Gonyeti pours her heart out, highlighting the reality of affairs in the lives of many Zimbabweans on a track titled “Life Yacho”. But it is not only about the reggae tip; it is about the message too: Gonyeti resonates well with the ordinary man who sweats daily to make ends meet.

She sings: “Ende life yacho irikurwadza mhamha, kuti kushanda kwandiri kuita varikumhepo mandinzwa here?” “Life Yacho” speaks about how people pretend all is well, sending pictures to friends and relatives via social media, all smiles — and yet inside they are suffering. The only thing lacking, not that it subtracts much, is that she would have done better with a band rather than opting for digital chords.

From reggae, Gonyeti roves into soothing Afrocentric vibes with the track “Musha Mukadzi”. The producer of this song must be a good follower of Leonardo da Vinci’s declaration: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” The instruments are well laid, and all Gonyeti had to do was add her sweet vocals. She does justice to the beat with powerful lyrics that speak of women’s importance.
From there, the “gonyeti” now cruising, ropes in Oskid’s magic touch.

Though the award-winning producer has been overshadowed in the dancehall fraternity, the four tracks he worked on the album — “Madhin’adhin’ali”, “Life Yacho”, “Masango Matema” and “Dai Ndine Mapapiro” — show that he is still the master. The title track is a decent offering, which speaks about how Zulu’s life is centred on music. And what good would be the journey without a drive through the love zone? Gonyeti ventures into this zone on the tracks “Usanditambudze” and “Dai Ndine Mapapiro”.

The former is the kind of track that sinks in slowly, a song that does not “wow” at first but grows on the listener with time.
The best written track has to be “Masango Matema”, where Gonyeti collaborates with Progress Chipfumo and Prince “Princo” Bindura.  It’s another one that speaks of the daily survival grind, but what makes it stand out is the good use of the Biblical Mosaic story of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea

Overall, Gonyeti proves she is in for the long haul.

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