Nomfundo Moh
Ugcobo
Album · Afro-Pop · 2023
The follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut album Amagama, Nomfundo Moh’s Ugcobo expands upon her soulful iteration of Afropop. Drawing from elements of maskandi, hip-hop, R&B, jazz and gospel, Ugcobo maintains congruence while exploring several styles and interpreting both retro and contemporary sounds. Wielding her soprano vocals to relay her storytelling, the KwaZulu-Natal native delicately addresses matters of spirituality, romance, personal growth and loss. While opener “Noyana” embodies the sense of healing this body of work is imbued with and “Ingoma” fuses a bouncy groove with ambient bass, the distant electric strums on “Isthombe” drive home the feeling of dispossession before the instrumentation of the Big Zulu-assisted single “Amalobolo” evokes nostalgia. With further contributions made by NaXion Cross, Afrotraction, Bongane Sax, Simmy, Ntencane, Sphesihle Zulu and Jaiva Zimnike, Nomfundo Moh crafts a project rich in variety, texture and spirit.