Read our extensive review of Maskandi musician Khuzani’s new album “Aliboli Icala.”
We would all agree that it has been a good year for all music genres in Mzansi. Artists and DJs have contributed well to the success of every music genre, including Maskandi. Maskandi musicians focused on dropping more albums than singles, just like they usually do.
Thanks to Khuzani, we have gotten the album of the year just before 2023 closes its pages. The new album “Aliboli Icala” was released on December 1 to rave reviews from fans and music critics. Reviews for the album have all been positive, and there is no doubt that Khuzani hit the bar he set for himself with previous releases.
He only dropped one single this year. Teaming up with Luve Dubazane, the famous musician released “Umjolo Lowo.” Last year, he came through with the album “Umqhele neThawula,” which housed fourteen tracks. It also featured contributions from Sphesihle, Jumbo, Thibela, and Msezane as the only guest acts on the project.
He kicked off his album-releasing streak in 2016 when he released four projects, including “Sixosha Amambuka,” “Isihlahla Samavukani,” “Injemnyama,” and “Inyoni Yomthakhathi.” He has done an impressive job with all his projects since.
Cover Art
You may have noticed something about Maskandi albums; they never really have creative cover art or photos. Well, that’s not a problem as long as the art is interesting to look at. Trust Khuzani to make it interesting enough.
The famous musician seems to be in his money phase because he chose to show off his designers on the cover of this new project. He is pictured dropped in Gucci from head to toe. He also carries a Gucci bag and holds up Gucci shoes for his fans to see. We don’t think there will ever be a more statement photo than this one on a Maskandi album.
Popular Tracks
Khuzani has never really been one to support an album with a single. As usual, he dropped the full-length album, and the songs have been doing well on their own. As expected, most of the tracks have gained more attention than others.
The most popular track on the album is titled track “Aliboli Icala.” The song alone has amassed over 430 thousand streams on YouTube since the album dropped less than two weeks ago. Other popular tracks on the album include “Isithembu Simnandi,” “Imali Yendoda,” “Izilingo Zomhlaba,” “Mayakayaka,” “Shushu Mntanami,” and more. They are all impressive songs.
Tracklist & Features
It is evident that Khuzani put a lot of thought into this album. While maintaining his usual album style, he brought someone new to the Maskandi scene to collaborate with him on the project.
The “Aliboli Icala” album houses fifteen tracks and features contributions from popular SA Hip Hop and Kwaito artist Big Zulu and his frequent collaborators Sphesihle and Thibela. They all did a fantastic job in the songs they contributed to. Khuzani rode solo on twelve tracks on the album, and his performance on them was all impressive.
| NO | TITLE | TIME |
| 1 | Isithembu Simnandi | 4:56 |
| 2 | Liyokhuluma Igazi | 4:01 |
| 3 | Imali Yendoda | 4:30 |
| 4 | Ungayithinti | 4:18 |
| 5 | Izilingo zomhlaba (feat. Big Zulu) | 4:52 |
| 6 | Awube semthethwe | 3:45 |
| 7 | Isgcwagcwa (feat. Sphesihle) | 4:30 |
| 8 | Iyakhokhelwa | 3:55 |
| 9 | Aliboli Icala | 15:20 |
| 10 | Ngifihle Baba | 3:30 |
| 11 | Ngahluleka ukuqoma | 5:15 |
| 12 | Ukhuba Yixoki | 4:01 |
| 13 | Uze Ungakhohlwa | 4:00 |
| 14 | Mayakayaka (feat. Thibela) | 12:03 |
| 15 | Shushu Mntanami | 4:21 |
Summary
We must confess that we love how well Khuzani always represents the Maskandi music scene. The Maskandi movement has seen a lot of success this year, with many impressive albums released by new and prominent musicians. Khuzani joined the list with this perfect project.
The “Aliboli Icala” is everything a Maskandi album should be. We must applaud his vocals on the project. Never one to stress; his delivery of each song is what makes it perfect. Also, Khuzani did a great job on the album’s production, and his collaborators did not disappoint. He delivered what might be the Maskandi album of the year.
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Questions for You
- How does “Aliboli Icala” by Khuzani compare to his previous releases in terms of its reception among fans and critics?
- How would you describe the cover art of Khuzani’s album “Aliboli Icala,” and how does it stand out from typical Maskandi album cover art?
- What distinguishes Khuzani’s approach to releasing music albums, particularly in the Maskandi genre, as mentioned in the review?
- Which track from the album “Aliboli Icala” has gained the most popularity, and what is its current streaming count on YouTube?
- Can you name some of the other popular tracks from the album, apart from the title track, and what makes them impressive?
- How many tracks are there in the “Aliboli Icala” album, and how does this album compare in terms of track count to Khuzani’s previous projects?
- Who are some of the notable collaborators featured on this album, and how did they contribute to the overall quality of the music?
- What is your impression of Khuzani’s performance on the solo tracks of the album, as mentioned in the review?
- How has Khuzani represented the Maskandi music scene with his “Aliboli Icala” album, and what elements make it a standout project?
- Based on the review, why do you think “Aliboli Icala” has been labeled as a potential Maskandi album of the year, and what aspects of the album contribute to its excellence?
