Kenya: Unganisha shares Sulu video

The group says it was compelled to work on visuals for the track, off their debut album Mbili Mbili released in November last year, after it became a fan favourite.

Teaming up again with video director and producer Tendai Makeri and cinematographer Greg Alusa, Unganisha have made their most ambitious music video yet. Filmed at the imposing McMillan Library in Nairobi’s CBD, the video sports a retro aesthetic pulsating with fresh and modern energy.

“‘Sulu’ delves into the mysteries of the future and our individual journeys in life.” Unganisha said. “The lyrics bear witness to the fleeting and uncertain nature of existence, infused with a sense of gratitude for the privilege of living.”

With the refrain ‘sulu suluu’ – short for the Swahili word suluhisha meaning ‘resolve’ in English – the song speaks to a search for purpose, moving forward with hope and resilience, and embracing the enigmatic nature of life’s unfolding narrative.

The video was conceptualised, produced and directed by Tendai Makeri, making it her third collaboration with Unganisha.

“Working with Unganisha again was a gift, truly,” Makeri said. “Being able to translate their creative bond through my eyes and their sound, through a series of artistic, African and retro-inspired scenes was an electric feeling that I hope everyone watching will feel energised by.”

“The song is beautifully energetic so I wanted to film it in a contradicting space, that being the library, where everyone is supposed to be subdued or silent. It displays a feeling of not holding back, being free and expressing yourself – ‘Sulu’ to the world!”

Unganisha, comprising Kenyan alternative musician Labdi Ommes and Norwegian experimental electro artist Bernt Isak Wærstad, is known for its eclectic fusion of musical elements. The duo’s aim is to bring traditional East African music, experimental art music and electronic club music together, using elements from their two cultures as building blocks to create a new, culturally resynthesised and personalised form of music.