Zara McFarlane returns with Songs of an Unknown Tongue
Mike Flynn
Monday, June 15, 2020
The renowned UK singer dives into electronica and African spiritual rhythms for hypnotic fourth album
Award-winning singer Zara McFarlane returns with her fourth studio album, Songs of an Unknown Tongue, which is released on the Brownswood label on 17 July. Moving on from the lush blend of Jamaican rhythms and sultry songs of 2017’s much-praised Arise, the new album dives into heavy hypnotic electro grooves – strongly reminiscent of the woozy dub perfected by Massive Attack, with McFarlane collaborating with south London-based producers Kwake Bass and Wu-lu.
McFarlane and her production crew also drew on spiritual elements and the hypnotic Kumina and Nyabinghi rhythms, which are associated with the African-rooted rituals such as the he emancipation celebration, or Bruckins Party, or the lively death rites dances Dinki-mini and Gerreh, with the album's deep bass and beats capped by McFarlane’s crystalline vocals.
For more info visit zara-mcfarlane.bandcamp.com
Watch the video for the first single ‘Black Treasure’ below