by David Wilikofsky
Sounds of Sisso, a compilation of tracks from Sisso Studios in Dar Es Salaam, was the one of the first releases from Nyege Nyege Tapes as well as the first one to put the label on my radar. Sisso Studios largely produced singeli, a hyperkinetic strain of dance music from Tanzania that developed over a decade ago in Dar Es Salaam and has since become popular locally and abroad. Nyege Nyege Tapes has covered lots of musical territory in the years since that release (including full length singeli albums from producers like Duke and Bamba Pana), but hasn’t released another singeli compilation until now. A set of recordings from Pamoja Records, another local singeli focused studio, Sounds of Pamoja showcases a wilder, more experimental side of the genre.
Perhaps the best place to start is the production, which is largely handled in-house by label head Duke. On tracks that stretch out towards the ten minute mark, it feels like everything and then some is thrown at the wall. The trademark beats (hitting upwards of 300 bpm) are constants, but they’re surrounded by a plethora of other sounds: horns, sirens, distorted voices, splashes of water, manic synths and more. Tracks twist and mutate constantly, picking up one idea or melody only to cast it away moments later. It’s music that feels unfettered, animated by what’s happening now as much as the possibilities of what could come next.
These instrumentals do seem to present a unique challenge: how do you flow with something that can turn on a dime? Unsurprisingly, the array of MCs on the album provide many answers to this question. There’s Dogo Lizzy, whose rapid spurts of words are often punctuated with yelps or cries on tracks like “Nakupenda”. There’s MC Pilato, who oscillates between rapid fire delivery and long, drawn out syllables on “Mama Ashura”. There’s the overlapping vocals of “Kwa Ajiri Yao”, which mirror the chaotic energy of its backing track. There’s the more straightforward performance by MC Kuke on “Sherehe”, who largely manages to maintain a steady tempo in his delivery . This only scratches the surface of what’s happening on the album; above all, Sounds of Pamoja is a showcase for the deep stable of vocal and musical talent Pamoja Records has fostered.
Literally translated, singeli means “boy dancer”; it refers to the best dancer in a crew, the one whose moves everybody envies. Fittingly, singeli music is meant to inspire and facilitate movement. While the version of singlei coming out of Pamoja Records sounds light years away from more pop interpretations of the genre, the physicality at the core of the music remains. It comes though in the MCs’ performances, which are literal marathons of non stop rapping for minutes straight. But even more than that, no matter how wild or dissonant the music becomes, there’s always a beat at the center of everything. It’s an anchor in the chaos, a steady presence that beckons you to get out of your chair and move. Eighty straight minutes of this hypercharged music can get a bit tiring, but that’s ok. Just throw on any track. I dare you to not get swept away by the beat.