Last year Siselabonga dropped a new EP titled In Stone. South African singer-songwriter Nongoma Ndlovu took control of the mic and the group swerved into a kaleidoscopic melange of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. The rhythmic foundation is West African inspired, but elements of hip hop, soul, afrobeats, and electro-pop weave in and out of the tapestry. Vibrant, sensual, and transcendent, by analogy, the end effect has the splashy assertiveness of big-format canvases of painter Kudzanai-Violet Hwami.

In Stone is a complex and layered affair. It’s also a very intimate body of work. Nongoma says that she was aiming for “something healing, uplifting, introspective, yet fun.” She continues, “I want people to be able to dance to a serious topic, but still allow it to resonate deeply in their spirit.”

Siselabonga* is a collaborative platform and creative vehicle brought to life by Swiss percussionist Fabio Meier. It was created with the intent to facilitate deep dialogue and intense sonic exchanges with other musicians, artists, and performers.

*Siselabonga is a word created from the mash up of si, c’est bon (French for ‘that’s good’) and siyabonga (Zulu for ‘thank you’).