The name ProVoice gets mentioned once or twice in passing breaths when we talk of the finest Malawian Reggae Dancehall artists. But somehow his fans feel that he doesn’t do enough to push his music. And him too feels he doesn’t get the love he deserves from the fans. His latest release, Is Underrated EP, seeks to address this confusion.
Reggae265.com
had a listening session of the EP and here are our afterthoughts:
The EP opens with ‘Tunduma’. Well, Tunduma is a town in the neighbouring Tanzania which has become popular in Malawi owing to the booming of the ‘taking orders’ business. Henceforth, fashion merchandise imported from that side is dubbed ‘Tunduma’. ProVoice, in Tunduma, complains of the youth’s ambitions these days. He cites that youths are getting restless over an expensive sneaker from Tunduma instead of investing in their future. He warns about copying the lifestyles of others yet not knowing their earning ways.
“Udolo mukuchedwa nawo,
anzanu akugula malo/
Akumapanga uYoh m’town
mu, ku Mitundu ali ndi Chigayo/”
He signs out with the assertion that fashion trends never run out, but time does and urges the youths not to waste time on trivia. A pure positive track, delivered on a hard-hitting Dancehall beat to seal its relevance. Phew!
The Playlist continues with a fast-paced ‘Trademark’ coming
second. Trademark recognises and appreciates everyone dreaming and doing big despite
the unfavourable conditions. He stresses on the importance of leveraging on one’s
trademark as a business brand.
ProVoice then goes full-throated on the third track titled ‘Buju
Inna 90s’. He wonders about the confusion that goes around about him being ‘overrated’
and/or ‘underrated’. He talks proud of his ‘badness’ and likens his style to
the Gargamel, Buju Banton, when he was prime back in the 90s.
As if to say, ‘Hey you all, why do you underrate me?’,
ProVoice eludes that he can’t just be defeated in the Reggae Dancehall game
citing he has a different style, different vibe, and a different melody.
“Sungatenge 3 points pa ine, olo mutatengana nku’trainer 3 months/
Ukalimbikira ndikuchinya 3 – 0…/”
More interesting about the fourth track is his attempt to blend
English, Chichewa and Chitumbuka. What comes out is just a good delivery, impressive!
On the fifth track, ProVoice is heard confessing to a woman that her being and prettiness makes him ‘communicate’. Important to note is that this track was released as a Video earlier on before the release of the EP. The video was shot in Rabat, Morocco. No mean feat!
The EP is done! Then ProVoice decides to give his fans a
Bonus Track. On this one, ProVoice goes romantic on a slow Reggae beat that
well resonates with the wishful message. The Trumel produced ‘Covid Love’ sets
one in a mellow mood, reminiscing about a woman who is in another place but can’t
come over because the two have been quarantined due to Covid-19. The beat dies
with the longing, ‘When am I going to see you again…?’, from the lovesick
ProVoice. Perhaps when Covid-19 is gone.
