Sogolo

Artist: W.I.T.C.H (We Intend To Cause Havoc)

Released: June 2025

Length: 39m 39s

My review:

Zamrock, the musical genre of Zambian Rock, was catapulted forward by the prosperity of the decade following Zambia's independence from the UK in 1964; the economy boomed through its main export of Copper (accounting for 90% of its total exports back then, and still well over half today) mined from the mineral-rich Copperbelt Province. In essence it is a fusion of traditional African music with all the influences of Rock (in its many varieties), Blues and Funk that was causing its own ripples from across the pond in America and also here in the England through popular bands such as The Doors, Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones. In an effort to promote both the culture and a sense of unity, president Kennith Kaunda passed a law that at least 95% of music heard on the radio ZBS (Zambia Broadcasting Service) had to be of Zambian origin, which was inadvertently instrumental in creating this blend of African and western sounds. The roots of Zamrock can also be traced back to the Copperbelt Province from as early as the 1950's with artists like Stephen Tsotsi Kasumali and John Lushi, the former would travel from mine to mine to perform with a small band of friends, championing the musical styles of their smaller villages and tribes to a wider audience.

Unfortunately the Zamrock era, while intense and full of passion, was short lived and brought prematurely to its knees by a combination of Zambia's economic crash due to the sharp and sudden fall in Copper prices, the rise in musical piracy and eventually the Aid's epidemic, which has devastated and decimated the nation. The latter is also believed to be responsible for the untimely deaths of all but Emanyeo "Jagari" Chanda from the original lineup of W.I.T.C.H. Following this decline of the economy and the subsequent influx in popularity of Disco, the band steered in a new direction, ultimately pushing Emanyeo out, things looked finished for the musical career of Zambia's biggest Rock star. That was until Gio Arlotta decided to create a documentary upon being enchanted by their music, listening to some of the bands early albums that got repressed in 2011 and 2012. This sparked even more interest in W.I.T.C.H, leading to a, well overdue, US and European tour and 2 brand new studio albums, the first fresh music from the band in almost 40 years, Sogolo, the second of these records is the one I am concentrating on today

In a similar fashion to Gio, I heard one of the songs from this record, actually the very first song I had ever heard by W.I.T.C.H, and on that basis decided to pre-order the album, patiently waiting to get the record onto my turntable before indulging in any more music from the band. It is such a unique composition of sounds with equal parts influenced by the traditional, with African inspired rhythms, percussion and vocals, mixed in with the contemporary, shaped by the external sway and allure of popular western music of the time, it is very different to the music I am used to hearing (even with my self-proclaimed diverse taste).

Kamusale opens up proceedings and immediately sets the tone for the album, one of the heavier tracks equipped with thick guitars, punchy drums and chanting, rising up to a crescendo of sounds until we fade out. Second on the album is Nadi, my stand out track which talk about more below, after that we have Queenless King the first song with lyrics fully in English. For me it has its feet more fully planted in Funk and Soul with an almost Caribbean sound that reminds me of Shadow the prolific singer from Trinidad & Tobago. Tiponde Madzi further explores a softer side, slowing things down for a breather and shifting the focus of the vocals to the forefront. Bang Bang has that layered oscillating guitar and synth sound that Nigerian based William Onyeabor famously popularised throughout the late 70's and into the 80's. Next up is highlight for me Set Free, another track that draws on the rhythmic percussion and softer influences of Funk, Afrobeat and Soul, ditching the heavier processed guitar effects for a cleaner, more natural sound. Mbangula Sesa carries on in a similar vein to the previous song, a short but fitting conclusion to the first side. As we flip onto Side B we have (In Memory Of) John, the first and only instrumental on the album, a beautiful track with the attention organised around the guitar, I can only assume this is a tribute to bandmate John "Music" Muma, who played rhythm guitar in the early years of the band, a definite highlight for me either way. Dancer On A Trip sees a return to the Zamrock roots as we delve into the upbeat side of things again, with the notable inclusion of an organ this time. Following on nicely from this we have Nibani, a rich song with a driving beat featuring gorgeous lead vocals from Hannah Tembo, who is a constant and consistent addition throughout the vast majority of this album. Totally Devoted has that laid back Reggae style groove, coupled with those dreamy soft electric piano notes that embody the soft, cool breeze you gladly welcome on a stifling hot day in the blistering sun, another highlight here. Machiriso is my final highlight and an excellent ending to the record, promoting togetherness and healing, it feels like it is needed now more than ever, in this global climate of discord and polarisation. An album where they continue to push the boundaries of genres, incorporating new members and new ideas, as always with Emanyeo at the helm, with a firm focus forever on the pursuit and progression of the music.

I think the success of Zamrock, and in particular with W.I.T.C.H, is the ability to allow both these, often contradicting, sides of the music to share the stage together, unified as a single front. If they were to simply copy or cover the popular western songs they heard, that to me would be boring, instead they have drawn on their strengths, incorporating their own sound, heritage and playing styles into the mix, transcending the norm and creating original and fresh sounding sub-genres for everyone to enjoy. Zamrock, in particular, feels like it got buried in an auditory time capsule in the late 70's and was unearthed 40 years later, reigniting the fascination surrounding it. This late resurgence finally allowing Emanyeo to go on a world tour, continue to create great music and triumphantly receiving his just deserts; better late than never I guess as "Jagari" celebrates success in his seventies.

Stand out song: Nadi 

This song for me is the best at encapsulating that raw energy of Zamrock, the driving beat, the fuzzy guitars, the high pitched and warped vocals, everything blends together perfectly, adding a sense of urgency that demands your attention. The lyrics, sung in Nyanja or Chewa (one of the seven recognised regional languages in Zambia) convey a message of love and unity that juxtaposes the heavy mood of the music. You also have the opposing components within the vocals themselves, the traditional element from the language, manipulated and altered using modern techniques. The recurrent guitar riff is sublime, simple yet catchy and is saved from becoming too repetitive by the switch up at the bridge. The guitars and drums alone conjure up ideas of Hard Rock, Punk Rock and even early Grunge sounds, but with the Zambian vocals it takes on a whole new meaning and becomes something else entirely. This tune recapitulates the concept of taking the best elements from different musical genres and cultures and marrying them together in a way that respects both original parties, whilst also achieving something brand new.

When to listen: 

Obviously the best way to enjoy Zamrock would be live, in the height of its popularity in the many venues that sprung up around Zambia throughout the early 70's, however unless you have a time machine handy this proves rather difficult. The second best option would be to see W.I.T.C.H live in concert, for those based in the UK or western Europe there are a run of shows in November this year, check 'other useful links' section below. Alternatively blasting this record on some big speakers, letting your hair down and having a good old jump around works great, for best results match the youthful vitality and energy heard in the music with that of your own.

Spotify: Listen here

Vinyl:

The 'Zamrock Dust' coloured vinyl option did initially catch my eye but after seeing that it was a pretty dull grey vinyl with no shimmer or shine to it I opted for the recycled Eco-Mix. I am super glad I did as my copy is a vibrant turquoise with hints of green and yellow dispersed in there, truly a marvel to look at! The sound is raw and gritty on heavier tracks, full of guitar effects and totally in-keeping with the bands ethos, but the quality of the pressing really shines through when we reach more restrained moments on the album. Big shout out to Stranger Than Paradise record shop for getting my copy signed by the band when they performed in-shop for an intimate gig which I unfortunately was away for. As always you can find the link to the version I own here - Discogs link

Other useful links:

Band page for music, merch and an in-depth about page for further reading - https://www.100-percent.co.uk/collections/witch

There is an award winning documentary that follows the incredible life of Emanyeo "Jagari" Chanda, frontman of W.I.T.C.H and is available to rent/buy here - https://weintendtocausehavoc.vhx.tv/

Great little record shop in Hackney, East London, the staff here are super knowledgable, warm, friendly and always happy to talk music - https://www.strangerthanparadiserecords.com/

If you like this try these:

Ngozi Family - 45,000 Volts

Rikki Llilonga - Zambia

Fireballs - Dots