INSHA: A Nairobi Time Capsule
It was early 2021, the world had stopped and we were stuck, both physically and mentally. Many had to find new ways to innovate within their spheres of work and push themselves in ways they’d never thought they’d have to. Whether it was exploring new mediums or pondering new ideas society had to move forward. This is true for a very diverse group of young Kenyan artists, the Nairobi Ableton User Group (NAUG). With help and funding from the Goethe Institute of Nairobi and Ableton, NAUG had a desire to open up musical boundaries and expand the minds of both local and international listeners, they created an audio time capsule, capturing the sounds and moments that represent their relationship to the world both physical and metaphysical. This project is called INSHA.
INSA cover art taken by Bill Sellanga (Blinky Bill)
Sparked by an initial aspiration to commemorate their time teaching Nairobi’s budding music scene the ways of the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), Ableton, NAUG thought it interesting to create music made to be remembered. A call was made and 14 artists answered, each bringing their own interpretation of the prompt. Kimina, KMRU, Barno, Manch!ld, Budalagi, Ngat Maler, Nyokabi Kariũki, Nabalayo, Avom, M³, Munyasya, SNSE, MR. LU*, and Rushab Nandha used their creativity inspired by the idea that most African art and music specifically was created not only as a way to create beautiful sounds, but as a way to document life. The life they live physically everyday as well as their experiences beyond. Africans have forever been in tune with their existence spiritually and have used music as a means of translating that experience. NAUG saw it fitting to apply this same concept to modern interpretations of traditional ideas and culture. Each artist pulled from an aspect of traditional culture that they felt a connection to and used their talents to represent it sonically.
INSHA, which means composition in Kiswahili, comprises 14 tracks spanning across a variety of genres. Some songs lean more towards the ambient, like KMRU’s, “I had an Impression '', a 5 minute song that uses a combination of field recordings he collected from in and around Nairobi to create an almost industrial soundscape. KMRU describes this piece as simply being a documentation of sound, not meant to be “pleasing to the ear” but simply expressive of the atmosphere. This album is meant to make you think, to really ponder the world we are occupying, to consider perspectives on things we thought we knew and things we never did. Some songs on the album lean more towards a traditional melodic structure, one song that combines the two is Budalagi’s, “Mura''. Being the fifth song on the album it moves away from the more experimental ambient tracks of the beginning of the album, opening up with the wailing cries of a small child. But quickly it breaks into an upbeat electronic arpeggio of video game sounds. It’s haunting, and initially off-putting, but as the song builds and is supported by a deep rhythmic kick you begin to stabilize, but never quite comfortable. Budalagi describes this song as being the representation of the circumcision ceremony of the Abakuria peoples of Kenya.
Filled with stories like this, INSHA has been a beautiful moment for these Nairobi artists to take time and reimagine our history, as well as to relevantly allow younger generations access to our cultures and demark time in a way that is pertinent to them. Avom's “Waza”, appeals most to the current younger generation’s sense of musicality. With chord progressions and drum patterns inspired by Western African afrobeats this song sonically serves as a compelling blend of cultures. Avom uses the Luo orutu, the marimba and the Indian Bajon to create this beat. This track is a true amalgamation of ideas and I think fits in well within the concept of documenting the moment. Another such song is Nabalayo’s “mtwapa siren”. It uses traditional Kenyan ways of formatting and styling music, layering, chanting, and distinct song sectioning to name a few. Nabalayo documents the moment here by giving the audience the opportunity to be engulfed in the history of Kenya through its traditional style while still leaving us with her own modern perception. Its strong story and gripping vocal performance leave you lost in her depiction of the coastal world.
Each song on this album carries with it a piece of their respective artists. Their memories, their journeys, and their pasts all encompassed within their music. Ngat Maler does this impressively in his song “Nam Lolwe”. Nam Lolwe, or “the endless lake” in Luo, is a piece that the artist hoped would emulate the feelings he had visiting Lake Victoria in Kisumu, near his ancestral home. He shared this journey to the lake with his father, who took him out onto the water to see and truly take in the beauty and vastness of the lake. “Nam Lolwe” takes its time to document that feeling of vastness and capture the apprehension and calm experienced on such a powerful body of water. Ngat Maler uses a combination of softer traditional instruments and edgy synthetic sounds to build his world within the song and it shines through in a delicate blend of rhythm and melody. This blend can also be found in M³ ‘s track “i choose violence”. Where Ngat Maler created a more melody reliant piece, M³ constructed a track that depends considerably more on its rhythm and percussive elements. “i choose violence”, is a sonic reflection of M³’s experience surviving Nairobi. The grit and resilience it takes to continue on in a city that does nothing but push you to your limits. M³ uses what he refers to as a “growling pulsating bass” which exemplifies the rumble of the city as it taunts your progression. His hip-hop inspired drum pattern glues the song together and allows its simple structure to hold you in the story. At two minutes, “i choose violence” does a quick job of highlighting the mixture of persistence and patience needed to take Nairobi head on.
INSHA is an important marker in Nairobi’s history. It’s incredibly exciting to witness the baton of documenting our timeline being passed to the next generation.
INSHA is available now on vinyl, SoundCloud and Bandcamp.
