Gasper Nali – ‘Chule Chule Iwe’ album review: Malawian sunshine perfect for summer
THE SKINNY: Gasper Nali straddling his three-metre-long babatoni is a sight to behold. But even more impressive than this unique makeshift bass guitar is the sound that comes from it. For such a hefty instrument, the Malawian manages to produce a sound that is as soft and soulful as the morning sun. Yet, on his latest album, Chule Chule Iwe, it’s also as propulsive and rhythmic as Arcade Fire at their finest, adding an Afrobeat heart to his own brand of jangly folk.
His modest life in Nkhata Bay is perfectly tangible in the songs. There’s a real sense of inseparability between one man and his massive cowskin bass. With near-chanted topline vocal melodies, Nali brings about involuntary dancing in all who listen. And on Chule Chule Iwe, he achieves perhaps his most diverse sound to date.
Naturally, with something so distinct, there is often a sense of limitation, but on only his second full-length LP available in the UK, he achieves the essence of a journey as he moves through the record, sliding his empty beer bottle over the robust string in a way that finds unfathomable depth. The record’s mainstay mood is bright cheeriness, but it is also capable of cascading towards a more haunting croon.
Above all, there is a bold, unpolished humility. There is nothing rudimentary about the record or its sound, but there is also no sense of trying to be anything other than an honest reflection of Nali’s own earnest art. It doesn’t lean into other larger markets or try too hard to place itself on popular playlists. It is simply presented as the upbeat sound of a man who lives a quiet life on the shore of Lake Malawi, largely earning his money through playing local shows, with the odd whistle-stop world tour around the world and viral video thrown in for good measure.
Breezy, beat-driven and entirely unique, Chule Chule Iwe is a toe-tapping record that adds a slice of lemon to the heady drink of modern life. More than anything, its defining feature is a feeling that Nali is himself a happy, friendly fellow out there taking her easy for the rest of us sinners—and by no means does that underplay the talents on display, rather it emboldens them with a naturalistic joy. It’s as summery as an ice cream van jingle, and just as rewarding.
For fans of: A cold Lilt soda at the start of a summer road trip that you’ve been meaning to take for a while.
A concluding comment from a dermatologist: “The album contains such purified UV rays that it is recommended that you wear factor 50 if you intend to listen to more than 15 seconds.”
Release Date: May 26th | Producer: Mattias Stålnacke | Label: Spare Dog Records
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