This spring we are giving some nice treatment to your ears. Early on Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno was curious about testing the limitations of his principal instrument the nyatiti and drawing from his traditional background. Is this eight string lyre from Western Kenya limited to one particular audience? What are its possibilities? Ukalo Matek saw its birth around 2016 and was performed in 2017 to a live audience for the first time during Masters of Nyatiti production by Singingwells. After 6 years we are happy to announce the release of a new digital version of this work ahead of the collection of songs in the album Jopango at the end of the year.

 

Ukalo Matek has a mellow rhythm which creates space in one's mind to ponder on some serious issues we are all so familiar with. Imagine having a discussion with Rapasa as you sat at the table with him where the soft plucking of the lyre is likened to the emergence of soft masters. Don’t you think that this gap between rich and poor seems to never end! Who do you think are the soft masters? 

 

Some of what music influencers have said about his previous release:

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“I was lucky with the music this week in terms of me seeking to play more clearly African inspired and rooted music”

 

Debbie Golt (Resonance FM) - Nov 2022

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“He’s based in the UK and his East African sound is centered on the double-necked string instrument called a nyatiti and propelled by a backdrop suggestive of soukous but more acoustic-tinged. Think of it as a perfect meeting of rawness and sophistication. The song is danceable as well as seasonal, touching upon the difficulties faced by city dwellers at Christmas time.”

 

Tom Orr AKA Orrator (World Music Central) - Jan 2023

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