Track Review – Ubuntu

The song Ubuntu looks to embrace the traditional belief within African customs of focusing on people’s allegiances and relations with each other. The word has its origin in the Bantu languages of Southern Africa and speaks particularly about the fact that you cannot exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness as people within society across all forms of races and captures the human virtue of generosity. The song runs in parallel with the principles of Ubuntu as it tries to highlight this important notion and spread its intentions to the world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s definition that, “A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed“. These words carry the important message that with Ubuntu people understand their value to society and are never isolated because that self-assurance has built a heart of love and understanding whereby people work effectively together.

In a Capitalist world which is fuelled by the acquiring of power, wealth and the constant pursuit of materials in excess, Ubuntu tries to oppose the vices of greed and attempts to instill a deep understanding of the importance of people instead of the focus on individuality. Ubuntu forms the basic understanding of the history of South Africa, because it took a common effort from people to fight against oppression during apartheid to build a new democratic country for South Africa free from hate, discrimination and racism. The word Ubuntu defines the core of Africans as caring, loving and family orientated human beings who strongly believe in the goodness of human nature and their ability to change for the better. South Africa being a country which fought against the oppressive evil of apartheid not only taught the world how to forgive but to live with those who once oppressed you.

The words which uttered from former South African president Nelson Mandela in his famous speech that, “Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement! God bless Africa!” sets the assurance that oppression by one another should never happen again, and Ubuntu revolves around the forms of freedom and equality and highlights the importance of society and looks at the bigger picture with the collective effort by humans. It also tries to instil within all of us the responsibility we have to care for one another not only in our traditional family circles but to every individual we interact with, regardless of their race or culture.

The song Ubuntu was created with the intention of reminding the world of this simple but important belief. The Drum pattern for the song sets the mood in African style as the thick 808’s lay the foundation for the sharp hi hats to follow in synchronisation with the jumping shakers. The snares are clean and poignant in character as they create a vibrancy of movement following the lead of the other percussions. The melody structure of Ubuntu is simple and mimics the ideas of the traditional belief system created by Africans; its simplicity captures the notion that it is the little things we do every day that help us build the bigger picture. A heavy synthesized base line carries the drums in local South African style with the melody lines lying across on the bass in perfect harmony throughout the track. The lyrics are jovial in manner yet serious with their undertone of peace and unity, stressing the message of “togetherness” and most importantly to “love one another“.

Share on Facebook