South African artist IGqumelasha unites with Ukhoz’olumpunga on “Ize Leze,” an eight-track album with songs written by Thembinkosi Masuku.
The project sits in a gray area between genres. Some pages call IGqumelasha a gqom act, while others file his songs under Maskandi, and the album moves comfortably between the two. Chants, hard drums, and guitar-flavoured Zulu storytelling all share space. Most songs run just over four minutes, which keeps the pace steady. “Izingovolo” stretches to 6:03 and “The Summer” to 5:01, so the second half opens up with longer grooves.
Ukhoz’olumpunga appears on most of the tracks, and that partnership is the backbone of the record. “Ucingo” opens the set at 4:06, and “Into Ethi ayibenje” follows with Olwethu Da Singer joining as an extra voice. “Ungumbulali kufa” brings the first big mid-tempo moment, and the title track sits at number four, right at the middle. “Ungenzislima,” “Izingovolo,” “The Summer,” and “Ogabadiya” finish the run. Fans also heard “Uthando lwa babe,” a single with Happiness and Ukhoz’olumpunga, before the album arrived.
The title sounds like a phrase about emptiness or a shrug, though the artists have not explained it. That leaves listeners free to decide what the album says. Releases from the duo have come in a busy stream, so many fans already knew several songs before the full tracklist appeared.
For anyone who likes loud, chant-heavy Zulu music with a danceable edge, this is a solid album-length session.
Play “Ize Leze” from the top and tell us – which track gets your chant first?
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