ALBUM REVIEW: Djembe Monks – Deep. Love. Drums

Zimbabwean tribal house troupe Djembe Monks released their debut album early 2013.

The sensational Zimbabwean group who combine house music with the djembe are barnstorming, fresh and beastly. Having watched them for the first time at last year’s Zimfest party, then at the NAMAs in Bulawayo and after that HIFA with Tariro neGitare, what is without a shadow of a doubt is the fact that this group is captivating on stage.

Djembe Monks Deep Love Drums Cover — Djembe Monks Deep Love Drums album cover

What needed to be seen by many who had watched them on stage before, was whether they could translate that to the studio. Every so often you have that disconnect between your live experience and the album.

So when we started on our musical jaunt on the 12-track album with these guys that was our backdrop.

What we can tell you straight off the bat is that Black Cee, Rootzkolossal The Rabbi, Slimzar Wa Africa and TortureDrum are onto something.

The boy are into deep house, so this is not for the uninitiated. At the same time the music would find a home in any dancefloor across the world because of the quality of production and the depth of sound as well texture of the music.

Perhaps one of the criticisms we might have is that for the music to go a bit more mainstream it could have done with a bit more vocals. However for the heads it is difficult to press pause or skip on any of the tracks.