This solo piano album is informed by an imagination of Mashiloane’s personal life experiences, the political climate, and imposed life. We can infer that the music tells of social awareness and interprets our daily life as it has changed. He hopes this album offers introspection, peace and love.
The 11-track album starts at a fast pace; however, the pulses change throughout the project as it takes the listener into an imaginative journey. This solo piano album sounds meditative, like a prayer. It leaves headspace for the listener to decipher and interpret the music in their way.
“Mashiloane has a very personal voice married to impressively strong technique. Much as the rolling left hand of the first track, Sabela Uyabizwa, might remind you of Abdullah Ibrahim (as rolling piano left-hands always do), you’d never mistake this for Ibrahim; it’s another sonic concept entirely. Using only the usual two hands, Mashiloane can create the impression of music with lots more layers: the celebratory Injabulo Lasekhaya might almost be a timbila orchestra.Sometimes, as on Ihubo Lasekaya, his song of home, the cyclical patterns might suggest New Music, although these cycles are inspired by a far older place. Elsewhere you’ll find a plaintive lyrical ballad, such as Uncertainty. World of the Free explores more conventionally jazzy ideas; not multi-layered, but pared back: an almost Ellingtonian travelling-light journey.” Gwen Ansell
