The Indestructible Beat of Soweto
Encyclopedia
The Indestructible Beat of Soweto, later repackaged as The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Volume One, is a compilation album
released in 1985 on the Earthworks label, featuring musicians from South Africa
, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo
and Mahlathini
.
label. It features twelve tracks by artists from South Africa
. The sleeve notes state that all songs are in the mbaqanga
style, a guitar-based style popular at the time in the townships of Johannesburg
and Durban
, but the tracks actually cover four different styles, mbaqanga, mqashiyo, maskanda
, and isicathamiya
. The former two are the least traditional-sounding of the styles, while the latter two styles incorporate elements of urban and more rural music. Released prior to the more commercially successful Graceland
by Paul Simon
, it was one of the first albums of contemporary South African music to be widely available outside the country.
The album has been re-released several times and also spawned a succession of later volumes in the Indestructible Beat series, released by the Earthworks label.
poll in the magazine The Village Voice
. Allmusic calls it "an essential sampler of modern African styling, a revelation and a joy." Leading critic Robert Christgau
gave it an A+ rating, and called it the most important record of the 1980s.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
released in 1985 on the Earthworks label, featuring musicians from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
and Mahlathini
Mahlathini
Simon 'Mahlathini' Nkabinde was a South African mbaqanga singer. Known as the "Lion of Soweto" Nkabinde is the acknowledged exponent of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to symbolize mbaqanga music in the 1960s...
.
Overview
The album was conceived by white South African expatriates Trevor Herman and Jumbo Vanrenen and released in 1985 on the British-based Earthworks label. The following year it was released in the USA by the Shanachie RecordsShanachie Records
Shanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar , it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic...
label. It features twelve tracks by artists from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The sleeve notes state that all songs are in the mbaqanga
Mbaqanga
Mbaqanga is a style of South African music with rural Zulu roots that continues to influence musicians worldwide today. The style originated in the early 1960s.-History:...
style, a guitar-based style popular at the time in the townships of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, but the tracks actually cover four different styles, mbaqanga, mqashiyo, maskanda
Maskanda
Maskanda is a kind of Zulu folk music that is evolving with South African society. describes it as "The music played by the man on the move, the modern minstrel, today’s troubadour. It is the music of the man walking the long miles to court a bride, or to meet with his Chief; a means of transport...
, and isicathamiya
Isicathamiya
Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the South African Zulus. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.-Background:...
. The former two are the least traditional-sounding of the styles, while the latter two styles incorporate elements of urban and more rural music. Released prior to the more commercially successful Graceland
Graceland (album)
Graceland was Paul Simon's highest charting album in the U.S. in over a decade, reaching #3 in the national Billboard charts, receiving a certification of 5× Platinum by the RIAA and eventually selling over 14 million copies, making it Simon's most commercially successful album...
by Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, it was one of the first albums of contemporary South African music to be widely available outside the country.
The album has been re-released several times and also spawned a succession of later volumes in the Indestructible Beat series, released by the Earthworks label.
Critical reception
The album was placed in the top 10 in the annual Pazz & JopPazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
poll in the magazine The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
. Allmusic calls it "an essential sampler of modern African styling, a revelation and a joy." Leading critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
gave it an A+ rating, and called it the most important record of the 1980s.
Track listing
- Awungilobolele [Can You Pay Lobola for Me] - Udokotela Shange Namajaha
- Holotelani [Daughter-In-Law] - Nelcy Sedibe
- Qhude Manikiniki [Fair Fight] - Umahlathini Nabo
- Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama [The Man in the Black Coat] - Amaswazi Emvelo
- Emthonjeni Womculo [The Stream of Music] - Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo and the Makgona Tsohle Band
- Sobabamba [We Will Get Them] - Udokotela Shange Namajaha
- Qhwayilahle [Leave Him Alone] - Moses Mchunu
- Thul'ulalele [Just Stop and Listen] - Amaswazi Emvelo
- Sini Lindile [We Are Waiting for You] - Nganezlyamfisa No Khambalomvaleliso
- Ngicabange Ngaqeda [I Have Made Up My Mind] - Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo and the Makgona Tsohle Band
- Joyce No. 2 - Johnson Mkhalali
- Nansi Imali [Here Is the Money] - Ladysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black MambazoLadysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...