UK company records raw music from Nkhata Bay
United Kingdom (UK) based Spare Dog Records has recorded raw music from the shoreline district of Nkhata Bay for mastering and mixing with the aim of releasing an album.
The record label’s founder and producer, Mattias Stålnacke, confirmed that he is working on an album with Tonga Heritage Group which has composed several traditional songs.
He said: “We are back in the UK with hot showers, fine ales and super-fast Internet. We are ready to dig in and work on the material we have recorded with these guys. We will keep you posted more regularly while being in Europe, that’s a promise.”
Spare Dog Records is a Bristol-based fair-trade record label which releases and promotes music from Malawi. The label works with its sister project Moto Wambili Studios in Nkhata Bay to record a range of original contemporary music from artists who lack professional recording studios.
Some of the artists who have benefited from the project include Gasper Nali, Street Rat, Michael Mountain and Danny Kalima.
Tonga Heritage, a three-member band made up of Rasta Verbal Able, Champsman and Rasta Kelvin, are new beneficiaries of the project.
Champsman, born Chapasi Kacheche, said the project will promote Tonga cultural heritage.
“The producer is interested in supporting and marketing local artists who do traditional music. This is advantageous to us because we will get exposure internationally,” said Champsman.
He said the group has composed 12 songs for its yet-to-be named album. However, he said Stålnacke has taken six songs for further mixing and mastering in the UK.
