Back in the ’70s and ’80s, the Zambian band WITCH pioneered the subgenre known as Zamrock, a specific fusion of Psychedelic Rock and African music. WITCH broke up in the mid-’80s, but they reunited and started playing live again in 2012. In recent years, lots of people have been discovering or rediscovering WITCH’s music, thanks in part to the way that the Zambian-born artist Sampa The Great has listed them as an inspiration. In 2022, WITCH released “Waile,” their first new song in 38 years, and they followed it with the Sampa The Great collab “Avalanche Of Love” and then the reunion album “Zango.” They’re not done yet. There’s another album on the way.
Original WITCH frontman Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda and ’80s-era keyboardist, Patrick Mwondela recorded their new LP “SOGOLO” in Berlin, while the group took a quick break from their touring schedule last year. They’ve got a new lineup now, and bassist Jacco Gardner produced the album. Chanda is the only surviving original member of WITCH, since all of his bandmates’ lives ended in the AIDS epidemic, a sobering thing to learn. The funky, life-affirming new song “Queenless King” feels like it might cause the good kind of havoc. In a press release, Jagari has this to say:
“As we embark on this new album, we invite you to join us on a transformative journey that embodies our core ethos as a Gathering at Zango was not just a moment in time; it was a pivotal experience that fueled our creativity and ignited our passion to push boundaries. This album is a reflection of that spirit — an exploration of new frontiers, where every note and lyric is a step into the unknown. We believe that music is a living, breathing entity that grows and changes, just as we do.
SOGOLO means front or future. It is the future of a team with hope, peace, love; we’re wearing smiles, we march and dance to criss-cross rhythms. Let’s go friends, let’s go guys – SOGOLO in unity.“
Watch the official video for WITCH’s “Queenless King” through the YouTube player below:
“”SOGOLO” is out on June 14, 2025 via Partisan Records. Pre-Order here: https://witch.lnk.to/sogolo
Tracklist:
01 “Kamusale”
02 “Nadi”
03 “Queenless King”
04 “Tiponde Madzi”
05 “Bang Bang”
06 “Set Free”
07 “Mbangula Sesa”
08 “(In Memory Of) John”
09 “Dancer On A Trip”
10 “Nibani”
11 “Totally Devoted”
12 “Machiris”
Tour Dates:
5/21 – Edinburgh, UK @ La Belle Angele
5/22 – Staffordshire, UK @ Bearded Theory
5/23 – London, UK @ Wide Awake
5/24 – Margate, UK @ Where Else
5/28 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique Club
5/30 – Galenbeck, Germany @ Blechsonne
6/05 – Paris, France @ Le Petit Bain
6/11 – Barcelona, Spain @ Sala-Upload
6/14 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret
7/02 – Sète, France @ Worldwide Festival
9/03 – Riverside, CA @ Farm House Collective
9/04 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
9/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
9/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
9/08 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
9/09 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
9/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Commonwealth Room
9/13 – Fort Collins, CO @ The Lyric
9/14 – Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf
9/16 – Chicago, IL @ Chop Shop
9/17 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
9/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere
9/23 – Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall
9/24 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
9/28 – Memphis, TN @ Gonerfest
