Ringo - Vulani

Blessed with one of the smoothest and most instantly recognizable voices in South Africa (second perhaps only to Vusi Mahlasela), Ringo Madlingozi continues to be one of the most popular performers in the South African market, appealing to listeners of all ages, not least of all the ladies. The Cape Town-born singer first emerged in the 1980s with the bands Ikwezi and then Peto, winners of the Shell Road to Fame talent search in 1986. Allegedly with encouragement from Bob Marley producer Chris Blackwell, Ringo turned to singing in his mother tongue, isiXhosa, and went solo. Starting with his debut album Vukani  in 1996, he never looked back, garnering numerous SAMA and even continental KORA honours over the course of the past 20 years with a string of hit albums, most recently Ndim Lo (2006), Qhubeka (2008) and Jayiva Sbali (2010). Now, after a lengthy break, Ringo is back with his tenth studio album, titled Vulani.

The title, literally meaning  ‘open the doors’, is a welcome reminder to his fans: Ringo is back in the house. The 14-track disc showcases his talents as a vocalist, songwriter and producer, and it’s clear that Ringo is still at the top of his game. The album kicks off with the funky, upbeat ‘Owam’ before slowing things down with the soulful ‘Siyathandana’ and the jazzy ‘Askies Joe’ (which also gets a rap remix later on courtesy of Siya Shezi). Other highlights include the funky ‘We Nobuhle’ and ‘Bantwana ba Afrika’ (children of Africa) and duets with female vocalists Nomalanga Dladla (‘Kuwe’) and Latoya Makhene (‘Uthando Lobugqi’), daughter of the legendary Blondie Makhene.

The album oscillates effortlessly between slow jams and more upbeat numbers, all with Ringo’s inimitable style and slickly produced backing from a host of talented local session artists. In today’s industry saturated with house, hip-hop and other electronic grooves, Ringo’s refusal to bow to radio trends and his ongoing popularity as a performing and recording artist underline the fact that local listeners still appreciate more sophisticated, timeless tunes, without necessarily having to delve into cerebral, chin-rubbing jazz virtuosity. It’s good, clean fun, with positive lyrical themes of love, unity and tolerance. For Ringo’s many fans, his latest album will surely not disappoint. For those who many not be familiar with the man, here is a fine example of the depth and diversity of South African pop music - a polished, contemporary product that’s well worth a listen.

Buy the album from iTunes here and watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the album.