Spoek Mathambo – Father Creeper

Soweto’s Spoek Mathambo situates his music amidst contemporary collisions between traditional African styles and hip-hop, dubstep and house. Opener Kites begins with bouncing highlife rhythms before swerving into bleepy dubstep, as Mathambo raps furiously over the top; here and throughout Father Creeper, the omnivorous absorption of styles reveals unexpected connections. Put Some Red On It, with its luscious synths and minimalist scattershot snares, could be a Pharrell production.
 
Mathambo’s touch is less assured when a rock influence seeps in. Let Them Talk and Stuck Together both begin promisingly, with fleet-footed clean guitar underpinning soulful vocals; but their attempts to create emotional weight through distortion and power chords ultimately feel lumpen, and somewhat awkwardly stitched together. Not all styles submit to Father Creeper’s restless commingling, then. But for the most part, it’s a record that demonstrates the value of audacity, and exemplifies the multifarious possibilities inherent in South Africa’s musical culture.