On 28 November 2019, Mas Musiq released an extended play titled “Mambisa.” A year later, he would release a similarly titled project: “Mambisa II.” Perhaps the lure of the phrase is way too profound to resist – perhaps not.
Either way, he has got an interesting body of work will find spots on many playlists out there.
Where the first “Mambisa” project spots ten tracks and plays for one hour and fifteen minutes, the latest project gleams with fifteen songs and plays for one hour and fort-two minutes.
“Mambisa II” retains most of the guests in the previous project, including, of course, the Scorpion Kings DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small. The former runs Blaqboy Music, which gave Mas Musiq his first serious musical visibility. The same label had released “Mambisa.”
In “Mambisa II” it is clear the year has not just elapsed. The passage of time has provoked musical growth – or a flowering of Mas Musiq’s creative orbit.
This project begins with “Emakasana,” A collaborative work with Aymos, Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa & TO Starquality. Here is one instance where we can say that a track merits its position on a tracklist.
This joint number is one of the notable tracks in this compilation which ends with “Samthin More,” a collaborative work with Vyno Miller and DJ Maphorisa.
Mas Musiq might be new on the music scene, but the DJ and producer has evinced such creative spark it is impossible to ignore him at this point in his creative manifestations.
He had advertised his musical sinews with past projects – and even as a DJ and producer on the decks and turntable – but it is with “Mambisa II” EP that he definitely projected his creative sinews and made them so glaring and impossible to ignore.
Song after song, in “Mambisa II” EP, Mas Musiq builds up great expectations in the listener and satifies them effortless. “Joni”? “Skelem”? “Wami”? In each song there’s that unmistakable self-assurance that comes from knowledge of one’s artistic merit.
To Mas Musiq’s credit, for features, he picked artistes with whom he shares great musical synergy. Think Nia Pearl. Focalistic, DBN Gogo, Myztro, Acatears, Madumane, Howard, Nicole Elocin, Mlindo The Vocalist, KayGee The Vibe, Daliwonga, TylerICU, and the other artistes mentioned previously.
In “Mambisa II,” Mas Musiq sums his experiences and expectations on disparate subjects that will fascinate just about anyone who has lived and somehow admires the good life, young or old.
Amapiano might be the genre of expression in “Mambisa II,” but the compilation itself is bound to intrigue lovers of other genres as well – especially so given how beautifully Mas Musiq weaves his messages, which are charming in their breadth and diversity, into a sumptuous whole.
Songs and even albums come and go. They are sung, shared, and then forgotten. Will “Mambisa II” suffer the same strike of kismet? Probably. But it will take pretty long for this to happen.
In the interim, we’re raising our glasses to a work worth the wait and worth savouring over and over again. Mas Musiq has got in “Mambisa II” a compilation he should be proud to call his.
“Mambisa II” is an amapiano compilation that might compete favourably with other recent albums in the genre. While this isn’t exactly the finest of Mas Musiq, we think “Mambisa II” EP preeminent above the first project.
Also, we think 3.5 stars ideal rating to “Mambisa II.” You are at liberty to rate the compilation yourself – assuming you have listened to all the tracks. The comment section is open for your thoughts on Mas Musiq’s latest drop. Go right ahead and sound off.
