I’ve recently fallen in love with the album Rebel Woman by Chiwoniso Maraire- a Zimbabwean songwriter who tragically passed away in 2013 at age 37.

This album really hits all of the high points that I tend to gravitate towards as a listener. I was introduced to West African music by a college roommate from Cameroon, and a few of my “desert island album” contenders come out of Mali and Senegal. This is my first real foray into East African music, and, while I lack a lot of the formal and informal tools to truly appreciate this album, it is already a contender for a desert island album. I have been absolutely charmed by this album the past few weeks.

The album is a healthy synthesis of modern, Western instruments like trumpets with traditional African instruments such as talking drums, balafons, and shekere that creates a warm, vitalizing sound throughout the playlist. The kalimba (I believe) is used in lieu of a bass throughout every song, and metal tinniness of this instrument is actually quite evocative and propels my foot to tap along to the beat. Chiwoniso has an powerful voice, and she switches between English and Shona throughout the album with ease. The titular song is performed completely in English, and the lyrics are so well written that I am frustrated that I have been unable to find a decent translation of the other songs.

The whole album is uplifting, inspiring, and would be generally fun to put on at a medium volume as background music at a party or while exercising. I recommend listening to the 3rd track- Gomo– which is the best representative song of the styles used throughout the album. It has a strong female lead vocalist with super deep male backup that creates a compelling contrast. The use of horns throughout the song illustrate the generally jazzy feel of the album and inspires the experimentation and variation of the hooks and refrains. The song is long enough that I feel satisfied after listening to it, but it doesn’t wear out its welcome or become a repetitive earworm.

My favorite song on the album is the 9th song- Pamuromo. However, I do not recommend that you listen to this song first as it is not as good of a representation of the album as a whole. I simply love male/female duets, and Pamuromo scratches that itch in a way that forces me to listen to it a few times before moving on.