The follow-up to the previous
Ancient Civilizations of Southern Africa, which included music from the Xhosa, the Zulu, the Venda, the Bushmen, and more, Volume 2 narrows the focus to the Venda alone. The core of the music is in the collective vocals of the group, with one or two singers starting out, and the rest of the group joining in for a partial climax. As the music continues, the massive war drum is incorporated for rhythm and sheer power. On top of this are layers of women's ululations and ankle shakers here and there. The songs cover a range of traditional topics, largely relating to the pride of the warrior traditions, but also including the somewhat better known Domba -- a snake dance related to an old practice of human sacrifice to a mythical python in Lake Fundudzi. In many ways, this album will not provide much beyond the already extant albums of traditional South African forms. The focus on a single tribal group is nice, but the music perhaps doesn't surpass other available items. For those curious about the Venda though, the album will pay well, with relatively good liner notes and high quality recordings of a pair of quite able music revitalization groups from the area. ~ Adam Greenberg