MULTIDISCIPLINARY artist Ulenni OkaNdlovu has released a masterfully crafted and deeply personal new EP, Orbiting Around The Sun, marking a significant shift from the terrain of his 2021 album, The Last King of Matabeleland.
The eight-track project, released on November 28, is a soul-stirring and spiritually charged body of work born from experiences during and after a 2024 European tour with his band, Bantu Spaceship.
“I started working on this project early last year, continued into this year, and finalised the recordings this May,” he told IndependentXtra.
Produced by Lloyd Bhebhe, the EP finds OkaNdlovu — the lead vocalist of the experimental Afro-electronic combo Bantu Spaceship — embarking on a solo exploration.
The sound is built on heavy basslines, atmospheric textures, emotive keyboard chords, and melodic synths, creating a meditative world for lyrics rooted in IsiNdebele that orbit themes of heritage, loss, love, and ancestral memory.
The journey begins with ‘Inkomo’ (Cattle), a dirge-like reflection where a son questions the fate of his father’s herd: “Zazi nengi inkoma zika baba zadliwa yini na?” (My father had many cattle; what fate befell them?). The haunting question lingers, amplified by a mournful violin solo, evoking the profound cultural and economic significance of cattle in Bantu life.
On ‘Amagugu’, OkaNdlovu adapts a popular funeral song, its melody underscoring a meditation on earthly trials. The lyrics urge a focus on joy while alive, as material treasures are left behind: “Izinto zomhlaba mngane wami zosala emathuneni, jabula mhlobo wami usaphila” (my friend, worldly things remain in the grave; be happy while you still live).
The EP features dual versions of the hypnotic ‘Buya’ (Come), a lover’s plaintive call over a deep bassline (“Kudala sikulindile” — we have been waiting for you for far too long), and “Uthando” (Love), which expresses a transcendent, brotherly love, featuring artist Manatsaa.
“Shangane River” serves as a tribute to the iconic Zimbabwean river, featuring the guitar work of OkaNdlovu’s Bantu Spaceship bandmate, The Serpant. This reflective project stands in stark contrast to OkaNdlovu’s 2021 album, which included breezy, Kwaito-infused party hits such as “Can I Take You Out’”.
With orbiting around the sun, the artist invites listeners not just to dance, but to reflect, delivering a layered, journey-like experience.
According to a released statement, the EP arrives at a “pivotal moment,” offering something “deeply intimate, universal, and resonant” after years of the artist building creative communities.
