Wired For Sound CD showcases undiscovered talent from Malawi

The album is the culmination of the Wired For Sound Project - a solar-powered mobile recording studio run by members of the popular South African band Freshlyground (Simon Attwell and Julio Sigauque), together with South African radio producer Kim Winter. The initiative, which started in Mozambique in 2013, aims to discover, record and promote African artists in disadvantaged communities.

As part of a partnership with the Music In Africa Foundation, Wired for Sound was able to expand the project last year by installing permanent solar-powered recording studios at some of the sites visited by the project.

The album showcases the raw talent of artists from four provinces in Malawi, namely Monkey Bay, Mchinji, Nkhotakota and Karonga. It was recorded between July and August last year and produced in Cape Town this year. Over 80 songs from about 50 community musicians were recorded as part of the project.

Most tracks on the album feature contributions from professional musicians, including Freshlyground band members Simon Attwell and Julio Sigauque, making the offering very unique and irresistible.

Proceeds from the sale of the CD will go towards installing more solar-powered recording studios at Wired For Sound partner radio stations in Malawi. This is done with a view to enable local musicians to continue recording music professionally.

The project worked closely with local community radio stations such as Radio Dinosaur in Karonga, Dzimwe Radio in Monkey Bay, Mudzi Wathu Radion in Mchinji and Nkhotakota Community Radio station. In addition to being custodians of the recording studios set up by the project, the radio stations will actively promote tracks from the project.

“In 2013 the Wired for Sound Mobile Studio travelled 12 000km through Northern Mozambique, and released the critically acclaimed Wired for Sound – Mozambique album. Last year we travelled through Malawi, and we now present you with Wired for Sound – Malawi, a selection of our favorite recordings from that trip,” says Simon Artwell.

Tracks to look out for from the album include ‘Moyowanji Umeneyu’ (What kind of life is this) by the Shaibu brothers and Pitani Pitilos, ‘Bola Moyo’ (At least I am alive) by Bonface Mdzanja, ‘Moni’ (Greetings) by Maxwell Francisco, ‘Mayi Igogo’ (My mother is my grandmother) by Izeki Sundwe, ‘Mundimwe’ (Drink Me) by Enoch Lazaro, ‘Ndende’ (Prison) by Felix Garivan and ‘Ananka Kalekela’ by Katengeza Family Canada.

You can buy this album now on iTunes or listen on Apple Music. The Wired for Sound website will also house all the other tracks that did not make it onto the CD.

All local artists featured on the album: Maxwell Francisco, Izeki Sundwe, Enoch Lazaro, Felix Gavan, Katengeza Family Canada, Shaibu and Pitani Pitilosi, Enoch Mbewe, Bonface Mdzanja, Gasper Nali, Ricky Mwedyewe “Ricfiga”, Joshua Umi Ghama, Tsokalankhuku Charles, Memory Umi Gamah, Lazaro Chimwenje, Mathewz Gondwe, The Voice of Hope and Johns Clever.

To contact the Wired For Sound team, email [email protected] or visit their website.