adminLOCAL sungura outfit Hungwe Stars last week introduced its own genre on their third album Kanda Mambure (25 Carat) in a development that has been received with mixed feelings by music pundits and a handful of fans.
Veteran lyricist Leonard Karikoga Zhakata is one of the artistes whose career took a dip after introducing a rather complex genre called ZORA after he drifted from the usual and traditional kind of music that won him many hearts during the Mugove and Vagoni Vebasa hits.
And now, Hungwe Stars led by Simba Muchita introduced what he called Quality Audible Music of Africa on his new six-track album.
Songs on the album are Zvivi, Wadadisa, Chaita ukoniwe, Mwene werudo, Ngonono and Kutsvaga kurarama.
The album opens up with the song Zvivi which introduces itself with a strong rhumba beat and later wafts to a fast sungura beat.
One can mistake the second song Wadadisa for a Nigerian gospel track because of its fast beat and a heart-pounding bass guitar, while the track Mwene werudo is a Jit song.
The Leonard Zhakata and Progress Chipfumo-inspired musician said he was trying to widen his fan base by roping in several genres while retaining his traditional sungura beat.
“We are so far happy with the response we have received. We intend to get more fans by including several other genres. It should be noted, however, that we have not drifted from our sungura beat,” Muchita said.
The group’s last composition was the album, Getting In, which carries songs like Hazvina Maturo, Mufaro Mumusha and Mellisa.
Although the eight-member group has been one of the most consistent and promising musical outfits ever to emerge from the eastern border city, they are yet to make a mark on the national sungura grid which is dominated by perennial powerhouses like Alick Macheso, Nicholas Zakaria and Somandla Ndebele.
Muchita’s manager, Godknows Chadenga, said although sungura would remain the main genre in Zimbabwe, the dominance of dancehall was menacing.
Online Reporter