Tolika Mtoliki by The Brother Moves On
Interpreting the before and beyond of the South African sonic
• Tolika Mtoliki – literally, interpret Interpreter – is TBMO giving new voice to the wisdom of South African musical elders.
• The first single from the album - “You Think You Know Me” - reworks the original with words and an urgency that calls South Africa’s democracy and progress since 1994 into question
• “Just brilliant” – Gilles Peterson, BBC
• Audio mastered and cut for vinyl by Frank Merritt at The Carvery with heavyweight 180g vinyl pressed at Pallas in Germany
**Merchandise for TBMO available here: https://fanbaseafrica.co.za/collections/the-brother-moves-on/
TBMO first revisited the works of elders Batsumi and Malombo whilst on tour in Europe during 2018 and 2019. In collaboration with Matsuli Music an idea was seeded to record these works specifically for a vinyl release.
With these recordings, TBMO work to re-stitch a torn cloth. These songs are critical shards of a fractured sonic, social and political inheritance. They are the sound-work of the elders – Mongezi Feza, Johnny Dyani, the Malopoets, Batsumi, and Philip Tabane, and they come with a blessing from Moses Taiwa Molelekwa. Called into the circle for this session, they speak old wisdom in new voices, and what they have to give is not measured in distance from a so- called original version.
TBMO is a South African performance art and music ensemble from Johannesburg formed in 2009 by brothers Nkululelo and Siyabonga Mthembu whilst watching an episode of the US TV-drama The Wire. The name is a misconfiguration of a fictional character, The Brother Mouzone, from The Wire. Since 2009 they have released two albums, A New Myth (2013) and The Golden Wake (2015).
Tracklist
| 1. | You Think You Know Me | 5:10 |
| 2. | Fo Mo | 8:39 |
| 3. | We Madoda | 5:23 |
| 4. | Together | 7:51 |
| 5. | Anishilabi | 5:39 |
| 6. | Ke A Bereka | 3:57 |
| 7. | You Think You Know Me | 5:10 |
Credits
THE BROTHER MOVES ON
Siyabonga Mthembu (Vocals)
Muhammad Dawjee (Tenor Sax, Vocals on A3)
Mthunzi Mvubu (Alto Sax, Vocals on A3, Flute on B2)
Ayanda Zalekile (Bass on all tracks except A3, Vocals on A3)
Zelizwe Mthembu (Guitar, Vocals on A3 & B3)
Simphiwe Tshabalala (Drums, Vocals on A3)
Bokani Dyer (Keys, Vocals on A3)
Steve Dyer (Guitar on A3)
Ariel Zamonsky (Bass on A3)
CREDITS
Produced by The Brother Moves On
Recorded by Steve Dyer at Dyertribe Studios, Pretoria
Mixed by Francois Lessing at Asylum Studios, Pretoria
Thanks to Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple for the patience and belief
Thanks to Mpumi Mazibuko for being a big brother
Vinyl edition produced for release by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music Liner notes by Francis Gooding
Audio mastering and vinyl cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery Studio, London
Cover image by Sindiso Nyoni
Back cover photography by Tseliso Monaheng
Design by Matt Temple at Matsuli Music and Siemon Allen at Flatinternational
© and ℗ Matsuli Music Limited, 2021
