After a five-year hiatus, Zonke returns to the source with her sixth album Embo. On it, the Gqeberha-hailing singer-songwriter and producer rhythmically references lineage, culture and spirituality. An aura of nostalgia permeates the album’s Afrocentric takes on soul, R&B, pop and funk thanks to its foundation of live instrumentation. These retro-inspired canvases are coloured by Zonke’s astute songwriting; an outcome of her living out various emotions. Stirring melodies then carry isiXhosa and English lyrics that depict feelings of affection, loss, growth and healing. The dedicatory “YAHWEH” sets a spiritual tone, expresses Zonke’s affinity for bass and precedes the momentous “LITTLE THINGS YOU DO”—a feel-good Afrohouse cut that features the late Lulu Dikana. Between its shakers and ’90s-coded ad libs “TROUBLE CALLING” adds an air of apprehension to romance, though the love is assured on the Afropop ballad “MURANDZIWA”. As “CHILL” gently reminds us to take a deep breath and reorient ourselves, “I WANNA GO OUT” soundtracks self-rediscovery through a disco-driven night on the town. A fun take on an “I’m moving on” anthem, “LADY” features ’80s percussion and offers self-affirmation alongside the bubblegum-infused “I’M NOT SUFFERING”. The minimalism of the heartfelt “BIZAN’UMAMA”, meanwhile, evokes the absence of a mother in whom solace is still sought. Amidst this sparseness, Zonke’s signature merging of melody, feeling and storytelling comes to the fore to fill a void. Later, the traditional maskandi rhythms of the Mnqobi Yazo-aided “BANDIJONGILE” perform the same task, laying a base for Zonke to acknowledge the oversight and protection provided by the ancestors. It’s here, especially, that origin is contextualised in ways musical, personal, cultural and spiritual.