We Are an Island, but We’re Not Alone

Producer Ian Brennan went to the Comoros islands hoping to record the ndzumara (a double-reed pipe flute), but upon his arrival discovered that the last living player had recently passed away. A chance encounter led him to Comorian, a band composed by  Soubi & Mmadi who play the ndzendze (a box-zither related to the Malagasy valiha) and gambussi (a type of lute that originates from the Arab qanbūs), and D. Alimzé, who adds the Guma drum. At first their music may sound simple, though incredibly expressive and emotional, but listen carefully and you’ll hear the not-so-distant echoes of the Swahili, Malagasy, and Arabian sounds that have flowed through these islands for centuries.