Masters Music Label has landed a partnership with songstress Angella Franklin Keihongani Katatumba and the result is clean sound across 15 tracks.
By Muhumuza Brian info@bryanmorel.com
‘Masterpiece’ is a document of punk grit, folk-tinged R&B performances, with careful mixing and engineering that render each track with stunning lucidity.
On this, she works with a few rappers as well as producers. As usual, her actual bars land with a hot intensity that could melt lead. Here is a cornerstone review of the Album.
Album Credits
| Executive Producers | Akansimira “Master” Brisco and Oyesigye Davin |
| Record Priducers | Masters Entertainment Studios |
| Mixing and Mastery | Mutukiriza Abraham |
| Writer | Mwine Richard |
| Audio Engineer | Balayo Lawrence |
| Vocal Director | David Makueta |
| BGVs | Kirabo Stephanie |
The former acting honorary Consul of the Republic of Pakistan in Uganda has packaged a catharsis LP expresso – hard work, empowerment, bliss, sass, exploried independence and elated music career.
We refer to this consistent sequence since her debut in 2005 under charity umbrella – Angella Katatumba Development Foundation (AKDF).
1. Telephone
In this beautiful masterpiece, Angella reveals a rough loneliness which befalls when a breakup feels celestial. It is only a telephone she has left to pour it out.
The behemoth opener, is an angsty track backed by thrashing basslines and lush guitar chords.
2. Action (ft. Nutty Neithan)
So far, this is the favorite for most of the listeners. A standard between crunk and garage style, it features rhymes and writing credit from Wamawungo Nathan also known as Nutty Neithan. The two almost cite syllables together on the hook. We reached out to Nutty to save us the wrong partois and sent this;
Yuh put me in a spiral
Calamity beautiful disaster
Wankwata idle
Ndi kumpingu zo infatuation
Me wan take you to my hideout
Gyal yuh pum pum needs a visitation
Loving you is a habit
Me cyaa quit unnu seh you are addictive…
3. Mufele
We now understand Angella as a musician with unparalleled range, depth, and power. This track acknowledges her rapperly talents, breathless musical ambition, ear and eye for synthesis and abiding dissatisfaction for a fake lover.
4. Free Money (ft. Nutty Neithan)
Nutty Neithan makes another appearance on the album.
Angella and her alleged ‘new’ counterpart are talking about hustle. Nutty dribbles the ball again;
Dem say money nuh grow in a di tree
Me a wonder why say every bank has got a branch
Anyway Sente tezikoleka
Naye bwebuziba ama bbaala gajjula ekiro
Ezokukyakala zo tezilibula
Naye ezokukulakulana teziwera
Success nuh di same ting as happiness
I’d rather have the latter than the former
Inna di real world
Inna di concrete jungle
Inna di real world
Your mouth can get you in butabika
Less wordy, thoughtful rapping is thriving, but the Ugandan ragga muffin Nutty makes this style feel particularly urgent. Neither his full-on delivery nor his absurdist sense of humor dilute his razor-sharp focus. Such a messageful song and the background vocals are irresistible.
5. Binyuma
This is one of the best vocal unraveling products on this album. She showcases more than one full octave in this crunk R&B masterpiece. Then when the soft instrument mutates into flashes of her upper range, Katatumba proves she can masterfully camouflage her inner turmoil with a sense of tranquility.
6. My Case
Angella is set to get a Grammy nod and award with such a composition! The song is vocally inviting and has synthetic keyboard work. She goes rhyming, shows rap gymnastics and we love the outcome.
7. Slow Down
Purely sensual, Angella whispers to her lover – craving for a body to body talk. She speaks intimacy.
Just listening to a raffle off on a neo-soul genre can leave you feeling winded, and it is clearly by design. She is not here to only offer melodies. As soon as she chortles into the booth, the silkness impacts with precision and dozens of calculated blows drumming into the heart.
Valentines Day anthem has been delivered for those in love. * Laughs *
8. Soka Wange
This jam openly reminisces a situation about co-wives happily demanding time from a polygamous man. *laughs*Bob Major joined Mwine Richard to pen such a melodious upbeat song and of course Angella’s delivery was a smooth one.This one is a correct mood-blend continuation of platinum hit Tonelebila.
9. Turn Up
A songstress’ robust voice conjoining jazz flute and alarms has been birthed on the Masterpiece in a track Turn Up.
A perfect dancehall tempo of our times!
People from as far as Malindi, Naivasha, Elderot and Dar Es Salam will enjoy this song. Ask us why. It is entirely in Swahili and English. Turn Up was written by Mwine Richard, produced by Balayo Lawrence, vocally directed by David Makueta and background vocals laid by Kirabo Stephanie.
The Great Lakes natives should indeed turn up and brace themselves for Angella’s risen versatility.
10. For Your Love
Ever imagined a song that rules airwaves before the album goes commercial? This one is already hitting and no wonder, it has a rock groove. We can’t help but sing and dance along.
Angella Showcases a varied vocal timbre this time supported by a staccato technique.
This new combo leads on sequiturs storytelling of a love circle and a pledge to do everything for a partner.
Nja-bikola-Aa-aa-aa-aa- She goes on and on… Angella must be in love!
11. Daddy
Finally, we have a track that summarizes everyone’s taste. Reggae! This mento and Calypso record incorporates local bass instruments and fuses them with Caribbean reggae music. The product is relatable to mainland South American countries of Guyana, Jamaica and Venezuela.
Angella is singing about how incomparable her father is. Emotionally available, Angella inspires others as she states how a ‘dad’ is the best man of all.
Throughout the song, Angella Katatumba situates specific imagery about love and yearning in a cocoon of wonder and gratitude. We are signaled by gentle guitar melodies, crystalline steel drum tones, and twinkling keys. Grief and joy are especially intertwined in the way Katatumba sings about her family.
12. I Don’t Cook
Like a foreigner and contemporary star, Katatumba wants Gucci bags, flying Airplanes, Shoes, Treats, Bughati, Diamond Rings, Mufasa, Simba and Perfumes. A song of empowerment where she discerns slavery of womankind around cooking and house chores. In a new-fashioned revue, a cacophony of talent, it remains a defiant celebration of complex, diasporic boldness of women rising up for their freedom.
Throughout the Amapiano inspired banger, Angella treads into familiar territory. Angella blessed us with airy vocal patterns that sufficiently fortify the singer’s adventure into new styles.
The breadth of this track automatically positions the singer-songwriter as a luminous addition to the current pop-revival. She joins peers like Nasty C and Yemi Alade. This anticlimactic pop R&B confirms Angella’s arrival into the new arena.
13. Bad Boy (If I Die, I Die)
Angella goes vocal while asking listeners whether she should go back to her ex boyfriend. We don’t think it is Daddy Andre either that she is referring to.
Bad Boy was written by Makueta David, Kirabo Stephanie and Tusimiire Catherine.
14. Let Loose (ft. Hypeman Paul & Wabz DJ)
Don’t keep bad vibes in your blood veins is the message, here. It is a mid tempo zouk song that features talented Emcee Hype Man Paul on intro, hook and outro. He is allover the song and we like the kinetic energy of the two.
We are also keenly reminded that life is short. So, once in a while let loose and enjoy the ‘moments’ Angella chants about it.
Skillful chord progression is what earns this song a BMP certification.
The high notes cum ad libitum (read adlibs) takes towards the outro impresses us more. Bravo!
It was penned down by Makueta David, Mbowa Paul, Wabwire David and produced by Mukisa Erisa (Skillz On Da Beat).
15. Pop Tha Champagne
- Pop Tha Champagne
Angella discovers her own approach to viticulture and appellation. She introduces us to bubbling and sparkling wine tasting when all day’s work is done and served. Pop Tha Champagne is about vintage, rosé, popping corks and patio etiquette. Entertaining, right? Yes, it is.
Verdict
Katatumba preserves a stunning music ensemble becoming a glimpse of an artiste during their prime – the voice, physicality, and confidence. The same artiste is reimagining and decentering on her influences and foundations from Whitney Houston, Cece Winans and Chaka Khan.
Her voice sounds like the sentient form of any musical creator, so sharp, memorable, that you absolutely want to listen to it again.
The album is available to sample, purchase and listen to on Deezer, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, iTunes, Tik Tok, Shazam, Audio Mack and the album is already on The BMP Top 30. We are now waiting for the MASTERPIECE CONCERT.