TAWANDA CHARI
Randall Tagwireyi’s Mangwanani EP is a fascinating case study in Zimbabwe’s evolving soundscape. A project that stands firmly at the crossroads of Pop-Rock, Afro-Soul, and R&B, while carrying a distinctly Zimbabwean soul. It’s an ambitious experiment that works.
At first listen, you can hear the sonic palette of modern R&B production. Soft synth pads, fluid basslines, and percussions that lean pop but the vocal delivery grounds everything back home. Randall’s melodic phrasing and lyrical choice draw from contemporary Zimbabwean music. It’s what makes the project breathe with authenticity even while it flirts with global aesthetics.
Mangwanani
It’s a metaphorical sunrise. A musical nudge to rise, to move, to begin. Randall reminds listeners that time isn’t a luxury. The energy feels meditative yet urgent, pushing you to “get it done early,” both literally and spiritually.
Hukama (ft Bush Baby X) & Putsa Hukama
These two tracks are twins. Similar in DNA but with their own distinct personality. Hukama is an ode to the ties that bind us — family, relatives, and friendships. A reminder of the importance of connection and unity.
Putsa Hukama then flips the coin, warning against the destruction of those same bonds.
Bush Baby X’s verse on Hukama adds that extra spice. A stylistic detour that keeps the EP’s pacing alive. His delivery contrasts Randall’s smoother tone perfectly, offering bounce, and lyrical dexterity. He’s long been one of the best Shona lyricists, and his verse here proves it once again. It’s that kind of thoughtful arrangement where the feature isn’t just decoration but part of the project’s architecture.
Kupa Nemufaro, Chingoziva, & Mugumbo
The rest of the EP deepens the reflection. Each track captures a different fragment of everyday Zimbabwean living: work, family, morality, and gratitude.
Mangwanani is part sermon, part groove, part experiment. In the larger context of experimental Zimbabwean music, this EP stands shoulder to shoulder with the new wave of boundary pushers. The same lineage as acts like (Sha Sha), Verseless, and Probeatz in their more reflective moments.
Stream Here: Spotify
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