Maisha, Zawose Queens, CD

The Zawose Queens are Leah and Pendo Zawose of the Tanzanian Wagogo people, whose joyous otherworldly vocals, polyphonic rhythms on drums, thumb pianos, and chizeze fiddle mirror the sounds of nature. The grand-daughter and daughter of the late, great Hukwe Zawose, like all the women in the Zawose family, they were once forbidden from the spotlight. Aided by producers Oli Barton-Wood and Tom Excell, this is a stunning debut deftly blend the acoustic, electronic, traditional and modern.