Spoek Mathambo returns with "Ubombo" a blistering rework of a classic Madala Kunenesong of the same name. The artist created the remix as a tribute to one of his musical heroes, "two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Madala Kunene at his home... a beautiful and great musician [and] someone I hope everyone can have the chance to see and hear play. He makes beautiful and transcendent music. So surreal so dreamy so trippy," mentions Spoek in an e-mail to Okayafrica.
The original song is one of the musician's favorites and he jumped at the opportunity to put his own spin on the hypnotic South African blues tune, "I first heard it through the remix that Smith & Mighty did, and have been obsessed with it since. As much as I loved the Smith & Mighty version I've always been a little pissed off that there was no killer South African version of this... classic South African song." The result is a highly-amplified cut infused with booming conga and electronic bass drums. Spoek delivers high-energy, rapid-fire verses in between deepened vocal samples.
The track is the first of many songs and videos that the artist will release in anticipation of his upcoming album which is slated to drop next March. Be on the lookout for those releases, and listen to Spoek's "Ubombo" flip below.
