Alaska cap fine year for Kalawa Jazmee

Alaska cap fine year for Kalawa Jazmee

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• Music Review: Mzekezeke takes his bow, the cult grows

• Music Review: Thebe and Spikiri rock

• Oskido: watching a master at work

• Zim cops seize copies of 'subversive book'

• Music Review: Arthur returns with happy album

By Showbiz Reporter

ARTIST: Alaska
ALBUM TITLE: The Big Five (Plan B)
PRODUCED BY: Dangerous Crew Combination (DCC) for Kalawa Jazmee
PUBLISHED BY: Bombjeez/Sony/ATV
MARKETED AND DISTRIBUTED BY: Universal Music
Our rating: 8/10

It has been a good year for Kalawa Jazmee Records.

Mafikizolo, Oskido, Spikiri, Black Koffee, Thebe, Mapaputsi, T Zozo & Professor and Bongo Muffin all had smashing records in 2005, cementing the record label's total domination of the South African music industry.

If their domination was already established, then Alaska's smashing new release -- The Big Fine (Plan B) -- which has been flying off the shelves will apply the coup de grace to Kalawa's rivals.

It is difficult to write about Kalawa's mind-blowing productions for 2005 without mentioning Mandla 'Spikiri' Mofokeng -- the Trompies band member who is fast turning into the hottest music producer in South Africa.

According to DJ Lewis Shaka, from Birmingham, "you can tell Spikiri's beat from a hundred miles away".

"He has got his own sound which is difficult to classify," says DJ Shaka.

The beat Shaka is referring to is a combination of a slow moving, softened kwaito sound weaved into catchy lyrics producing a 'sing along' tune -- a sure, infectious kwaito hit.

Out of Alaska's new album comes the hit - Fokol -- which was NOT initially on the album, according to Kalawa's Oscar 'Oskido' Mdlongwa.

"We had wrapped up the album and we were in fact going to release it in 2006. But something happened that forced its release in late 2005," Oskido told New Zimbabwe.com.

He added: "My wife threw a surprise birthday party at my house and all my friends were there. But there was such a huge turnout of uninvited guests that the guys started saying 'bajayiva angani bamenyiwe' (they dance like as if they were invited).

"We are always on the look-out for a hit and good lyrics, so someone mentioned that we could turn those lyrics into a hit for Alaska's unreleased album. We went into the studio and Spikiri did the beat. We were still not going to release it but someone leaked it on radio and then it became the most requested song...forcing us to release limited copies which were all sold out by Christmas."

Fokol features Spikiri himself and T Zozo & Professor, recently honoured by the Durban mayor for promoting tourism with their album, Woz'eDurban which has become something of an anthem in South Africa.

Fokol is remixed by Oskido on Track 8, and retitled Awu Menywanga. Oskido's remix is a typically heavier sound which has some elements of Ishmael's Roba Leteka.

Oskido's thumb is also on Track 2, Namaste, a slow moving tune with a thumping heavy beat.

Zayne 'Mahoota' Sibika did a respectable job on Track 12, Abafazi, a tune situated somewhere between house music and kwaito.

We last saw Alaska in 2004 with their release, Sentenced to Success. If that was good, then The Big Five (Plan B) is gold.
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