Sounds of Sisso (vinyl)

Pure Singeli fiyah from Tanzania’s febrile Dar Es Salaam underground, showcasing the punkish sounds of the Sisso Records studio with a belter volley of hi-velocity missiles for Kampala, Uganda’s Nyege Nyege Tapes. Hitting frenetic levels of velocity comparable with full on Soca or Shangaan Electro styles as much as Northern British takes on happy hardcore and Makina, trust there’s no messing about with this one.

For us, like many others, we’d imagine, this is a bracing first introduction to the Singeli sound, whose collision of souped up rhythmic energy and breathless bars should immediately translate far beyond its east African base. Across the 14 tracks of Sounds Of Sisso we’re familiarised with the sound’s core producers - Bwax, Sisso, Tampa Pana and Yung Keyz Morento - and its amazing fast chat MCs - Dogo Niga and Makavelli - with a totally uncompromising style that can’t help but make most other dance musics sound a bit pale and limp by comparison.

No matter where you’re from, this is patently music for raving to, combining punkish, satirical lyrics about the challenges of Tanzania’s youth - from police corruption to dating when you’re broke - with productions that scream get mad get mad in a way that’s maybe best associated with hedonistic noise or gabber. However, this is from Dar Es Slaam, and they’ve got some heavy style down there.

From the near cheek-pulling G-force of Bwax and S Kide’s Baba Aminata Natafuta Kiki to the mental, cut-up intro and rapido attack of TMK by Suma, nobody lets the pressure gauge tick below f**king off it, pal, taking in the chipmunked Bollywood chorus and speecore pace of Dogo Niga’s Polisi and the Shangaan/Soca-like hybrid Mshamba wa Kideo from Mzee + Bwax or the Nu Monkey-on-tour styles of Kimbau Mbau along with the Nkisi-esque jag of Maseke, Pasopa and Mako_Roho’s Inauma. But, there are also some sweeter and hip hop styled freaks, too; check for the warped hip hop knock of Nammiliki from Makavelli, or the sugar-rush of Csso’s Shobo and the hyper colourful soundsystem FX of Ndugulawama.