As demonstrated by the four languages (Zulu, Portuguese, Kiswahili and English) in their name, the members of the Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness collective address more than their community in the Soweto ghetto. While it bears witness to the corruption and social inequalities of their environment, their message is universal, and advocates the physical and spiritual liberation of man, wherever he may be. The organic and essential musical ingredients of their hybrid are simple but well-mastered. The funky bass dominates. The drums and congas push it towards dance. The voices from Zulu singing to hip-hop flow is refreshing to the ear and mind. The shona flutes and the mbomu horn call out to their ancestors, while the subtle electronic sound effects summon the present.
All that’s left is to let yourself slide into a remedial trance. If BCUC's musical power is especially strong during live performances, this third album perfectly does them justice. Two long sequences exceeding 15 minutes in length vary rapidly in tempo in a very natural way. The presence of Femi Kuti - son of Fela and inventor of afrobeat - in the second track (Sikhulekile, "we are free" in Xhosa), makes the link between the fights of yesterday and those of today. His sax improvisations glimmer at the heart of the energetic and therapeutic flow of these seven South African wizards. The album ends with a third 4-minute track Isivunguvunguvungu ("the storm"), for which BCUC welcomes the American poet, slammer and activist Saul Williams, who is perfectly in tune with the group's objectives. After 50 minutes, The Healing certainly lives up to its namesake © Benjamin MiNiMuM/Qobuz