Album Review: Tarimari - Kumusha

I'm always on the lookout for the unknown, less popular and new artists, personally I believe outside the mainstream or popular realm there are other artists who are as equally if not more talented when compared to those who were fortunate enough to become media darlings. Over the years have came across artists such as Mokoomba, Tamy, Prayersoul & Bryan Kadengu who have changed the way I listen and search for local music. That's when I realised that its not all about the popular artists, and in many cases also talking from experience, these are the artists that create timeless music, music that lasts unlike those who just aim at maintaining their status as the best so they end up singing anything and everything.

After some time of seeing Tarimari's sponsored post on my timeline I finally gave in and took a listen to the tracks she posted on her Soundcloud profile. First played Gomo Remafaro and it took my attention, next played the track Kure and ya I was smitten, just like that. Without wasting more time I searched to see if the album is available on Spotify, yes it is and I got to streaming. After weeks of listening to the album, its now time for me to give my views and thoughts on her album and also share the album with my fellow Zimbos in the process.

The album contains 6 tracks and will be doing a track by track review of the album below.

1. Changamire

The opening track of the album is a worship song on a traditional tip. The intro is sounding good, the guitar and congas are sounding lovely. The instruments are well arranged and sounding good. The lead guitarist did a good job. Tarimari gave a strong performance, her vocals added that exalting kind of feel to the track. She structured the vocals very well, they match the theme quite well. Changamire like I mentioned at the start is about exalting and giving praise to the Most High. Nice track.

2. Kumusha ft Ba Shupi

Tarimari's vocals ushers you into this jam. A lovely guitar riff signals the start of the instrumental then followed by the bass guitar and kicks. The instrumental is sounding superb, the guy on the lead guitar did a great job again, the one on the bass guitar is just out of this world, he nailed it. In overall the instrumental is sounding very very good, love the heavy traditional vibe of the track. Tarimari was superb on the vocals, she sounded a lot like the late great Chiwoniso. She is not concerned with hitting the high notes but she nailed it. Ba Shupi's vocals are perfect for these traditional inspired tracks and it was awesome on this track. Kumusha is about enjoying and celebrating the life yekumusha, kuurayirwa huku, kubata ishwa, eating wild fruits and the outdoor games one will enjoy t the rural areas.  Superb Jam.

3. Shushu
This track had me asking around what Shushu meant. The instrumental has a lovely jazz feel, the saxophone is just on point here. The track is uptempo and high energy. The guitar work is done very well, i'ts sounding awesome. The bass is simple and standard, not as heavy as the track before but its sounding good nonetheless. The instrumental as a whole is structured very well and the end result is a high tempo beat that will definitely get everyone dancing. The solo drum part from 03:10 is just amazing. Tarimari gave a super performance, she complemented the instrumental perfectly and the end result is one awesome track. Shushu is about jealousy, those people who never want to see two people happy in a relationship. Superb and solid jam.

4. Nhema Dzemusango (Kure)

The instrumental on this track is just pure heaven. The heavy bass line hits the right spots, the chimurenga style lead guitar riffs help accentuate the track and the end result is a piece of heaven in the ears. The whole instrumental arrangement is superb. I can listen to this track for years, have abused it this past month and still haven't had enough of it. Tarimari was again superb on this track, her vocal performance again leaning strongly to the Chiwoniso kind of style. The structure of the chorus and track title is definitely inspired by Chiwoniso's classic Nhemamusasa. Her vocals complemented the beat very perfectly. Nhema Dzemusango is about giving thanks to the Almighty above for watching over you in the ever-changing journey of life. Powerful Jam.

5. Our Children ft Jah Prayzah (Mbira)
The track has a serious Jah Prayzah vibe and that is a major departure from the sound of the other track on this album. The instrumental is sounding good but compared to the other tracks here it just falls short, it dampens the mood in a way. The vocal structure is also leaning to the way Jah Prayzah arranges his vocals and in overall the track sounds familiar, generic . Because of the structure, the track was yearning for Jah to grace us with his powerful vocals and that was not the case. That leaves the track wanting. The track may appeal to a number of people but to me it lacks the Tarimari uniqueness that drew me to this album, if I want such a sound I can pick up a Jah Prayzah or Andy Muridzo album. I'm dissapointed with this jam. Our Children is about the desire to give your children a life better than one you had, superb theme but it does not help the track for me.

6. Gomo Remafaro
Love the reggae dub intro, you will think she has switched to reggae but then the fast kicks, fast guitar riffs take you back to the traditional jazzy kind of sound. This is a high energy track. The echo dub effects did not end at the intro, they were used all over the track mostly on the saxophone and they are sounding pretty good. The instrumental arrangement is done very well. Loved how they toned down the tempo to a lovely reggae jazzy structure for the last third of the track. Tarimari delivered a fitting performance here, matching the high energy nature of the instrumental. Gomo Remafaro is about wanting to have a great time, wives/girlfriends/sisters are generally left out when the guys are going out for a good time, but they also want to have a good time as the others. Lovely track.

In overall this is a very good album. Love Tarimari's signature sound, its fast, traditional with  a lot of jazz elements. Much respect must be given to the producer Humprey Domboka for doing a stellar job, he deserves an applause. Love the arrangement of the instrumentals, its 100% Zimbabwean but at the same time its partly unique which makes it refreshing. Tarimari draws a lot of inspiration from Chiwoniso and it is evident all over the album, but she also included some personal signature touches  her and there. 

At the current moment my favourite track has to be Shushu, but that can change anytime becasue Nhema Musango has a heavenly instrumental. Also enjoy Kumusha and Gomo Remafaro. Changamire is an okay track, I listen to it here and there, just not as much as the four tracks mentioned above. My least favourite track is Our Children, it sounds like a Jah Prayzah sound and it kills the mood.

In conclusion, I love this album and definitely recommend it to all Zimbos out there. Get your copy:
Stream The Album on Spotify : Tarimari - Kumusha
Buy The Album: Tarimari - Kumusha

Proud Zimbo Rating: A (80%)

What are your thoughts on the album??

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