Life Before the Apocalypse
Nostalgic, grungy, fun…. these are some of the words that might dawn on you when hearing Tetu Shani’s much awaited 1st studio album which he launched in style last year in November. The sweet electric riffs of his long-time guitarist Tugi Mlamba and the hard-hitting breaks of his band bring you back to the days when punk and hard rock were still in fashion. Listening to Rick Dees Top 40 every Saturday morning springs to mind. “Rock is one of my first loves, reminds me of my old band ‘Indian Ink’ that I played drums for many years ago when I lived in Senegal” says’ Tetu. As the rock music scene in Nairobi is still thriving underneath small clubs, it’s no surprise that one of the main faces of alternative music in Kenya wouldn’t be afraid to express himself in the same genre having already experimented with almost everything else. “The goal was to share my love for Rock whilst still expressing what makes me African” Tetu reflects, “It’s a body of work that represents a time when I was highly inspired by Rock and all its fusions.” It’s not a big surprise either that he was nominated for an Afrima Award in 2021 for Best Rock Act.
This 9 track Ep doesn’t hesitate to unveil Tetu’s love for insightful, deep and retrospective songwriting. ‘Where did we go wrong’ is a soothing song that talks about how we’ve lost our connection to our culture and roots, “I happened to be watching a Kisii wedding one day and everything about the music and ceremony was being done wrong, I began to wonder to myself what has happened to us as a people of my generation” Tetu notes. The irony of the story lies in the beautiful fusion that mingles in between rhumba percussion and an indie rock guitar melody.
“Heartbreak Amnesia is the song I’m most proud of, it’s reminiscent of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen” Tetu says. An apt comparison of a tune with a strong dynamic range that falls unexpectedly into a soft bridge throwing you back into an aggressive guitar solo in the fashion of any Classic Rock song.
“’Before I go’ is a funeral song. I’m looking at death not as a place of mourning but as a place of celebration as we commonly do as Africans.” Another well thought-out track showcasing he’s talent on the djembe of which helped him kick-start his music career in Nairobi, before we all knew him as the Troubadour.
‘Upendo’, another soulful addition to this masterpiece proves to be quite memorable leaving a poetic melody that’s both rhythmical and sentimental, “upendo has always been a crowd favorite” Tetu admits. The voice of folk singer Labdi’s Ommes’ tastefully compliments the song giving a magical balance brought by a man and woman singing the same truth about young love.
The album manifests itself as a musical work that envisions alternative & fusion ideas, juicy for ears open to everything that is youthful, urban and African. Its name depicts a place he had been before the pandemic of which he now seeks to deal with the trauma and mental issues it caused with his upcoming project he dubs ‘It has bite itself each other’. He closes of by saying “There was a time last year when the phrase Kimeumana was a trending meme, I believe this will be an album men will resonate with.”
