Joy [LP]

The Joy grew up on Ladysmith Black Mambazo, but their harmonies harken back to another vocal tradition. Mbube meaning 'lion', gives some indication of the elemental power it's practitioners summon when bursting into song. In this part of South Africa, where the Zulu tradition of a cappella singing is central to the cultural identity of it's people, you'll have to transcend the sum of your constituent parts to truly command attention. But singing together as teenage boys for the first time, Pastor (Ntokozo Bright Magcaba), Duzie (Melokuhle Mkhungo), Guduza (Sphelele Hlophe), Sthombe (Phelelani Sithole) and Marcus (Sanele Ngcobo) have no reason to pause and consider that. Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson pronounce themselves fans, the latter calling them "my favourite group". Sessions produced by longtime champion Two Inch Punch amass millions of streams either in spite or because of the fact that they correspond to nothing else competing for your attention in the modern musical firmament.