Mlindo The Vocalist – Inhlawulo Album

Inhlawulo refers to damages or a fine paid to a girl’s family when a pregnancy happens outside marriage, and it is also used more widely for any payment made to settle a wrong. I would not stake a firm claim on every shade of how the album uses it, and I would sooner leave the finer points to people who speak the language. The idea is familiar across Nigerian cultures, where families meet, elders speak and a matter is settled with kola, drinks and money before the two sides can move forward.

What I find interesting is how bold it is to name a whole project after a word like that. It is a subject people lower their voices to discuss, tied up with responsibility, shame and repair. An album title is a theme, and this one suggests stories about consequences and what it costs to put things right. Mlindo The Vocalist is a South African singer, and the word fits the kind of heartfelt storytelling the Zulu language handles so well. I will not guess how the project is arranged, and I will leave the details of the sound to the listener.

It suits a quiet evening of reflection, when you think about the debts you owe, the ones you have paid and the ones still waiting to be settled.