Zimbabwean musician Stella Chiweshe’s 1974-1983 singles collected in new LP

“The queen of mbira.”

A new compilation called Kasahwa: Early Singles is showcasing the early music of Zimbabwean mbira musician Stella Chiweshe.

Mbira refers to a style of music as well as an African instrument of the idiophone family, both of which have been played by Zimbabwe’s Shona people for thousands of years.

The mbira is composed of 22-28 metal strips attached to a wooden board; sound is produced by plucking at the strips, which causes the instrument to vibrate.

According to label Glitterbeat, mbira music is regarded as a “telephone to the spirits of people, water, trees, stones and birds.”

Kasahwa: Early Singles features eight tracks – created using three main elements: mbira, vocals and shakers.

All songs have been remastered from the original tapes by Nick Robbins, for this first ever reissue.

Last month, Berlin dance party African Acid Is The Future brought Chiweshe to perform alongside Les Filles de Illighadad, Edmony Krater and Zepiss.

Pre-order a copy of Kasahwa: Early Singles here ahead of its 14th September release, listen to ‘Mayaya (Part 1 & 2)’ and check out the track list below.

Tracklist

1. Ratidzo / Managing to do what people considered impossible
2. Chipindura / The herb that transforms anything
3. Kasahwa / Innermost emotional pain is like a fishbone stuck in the throat
4. Gomoriye / That Mountain of white rocks has fallen
5. Gwendurugwe / Game of Hide & Seek
6. Mayaya (Part 1 & 2) / The effect of healing herbs
7. Musarakunze / An orphan seeing what the late elders never saw
8. Nhemamusasa / Cutting branches for a temporal home