Almost hard to believe that Tanzania’s hyperlocal singeli sound first reached international ears nearly ten years ago, via the »Sounds of Sisso« compilation in 2017 and a slew of solo releases by Jay Mitta and fellow artists Bamba Pana and Duke. Since then, the sound has spiced up countless DJ sets far from its source, while Mitta has remained active through remixes, including an extraordinary 12-minute version of Caterina Barbieri’s »Fanta« that demonstrated just how far singeli had travelled.

»Kazi Kwanza« returns to the style’s staccato rush with 13 bangers that still sound unlike anything else, aside from certain strains of breakcore and happy hardcore, and have not mellowed in the slightest. Here, though, the sound is crystallised into notably tighter, more entrancing melodic arrangements: from the freewheeling leads of »Sawa« and the pitch-bent top line of »27«, which resembles sped-up kwaito, to the album’s especially strong mid-section.

This moves from the relatively gliding suspension of »Mitta Baba Fet« to the harpsichord pomp of »44444« and the almost Italo-trance-style romance of »Mwanzo«. Add the brisk piano vamps and breathless intensity of »Useraaa Beat«, perhaps the closest the album comes to happy hardcore, alongside the unyielding nuttiness of »Ubongo Beat« and the carbonated shake-up of »WhatsApp 22 20 48«, and you have a full-frontal taste of one of the wildest musical disciplines of the past decade.