National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Dilon Djindji is known as 'a man of a thousand stories'. One of the oldest of these stories concerns the beginnings of his musical career at the age of just 12, when he started playing a guitar that he had made himself. But it is a more recent, if no less impressive, tale that relates the recording of his first international release - this time at the age of 75.

The majority of the songs on this album come from the period between 1950 and 1964 - only the tracks 'Badanile' and 'Sofala' (a province in the centre of Mozambique) are more recent - and many are about love. 'Hilwe-Wa Santi' ('Being United') is an exuberant celebration of marriage, and 'Maria Teresa' tells the story of a man torn between two women. Others have a more melancholy subject matter: 'Chantima Maria' ('Mourning Maria') describes a woman's sadness at the loss of her baby, and 'Achiltanwana' ('Lost Wedding Ring') talks about a marriage that has ended in divorce. 'Maria Rosa' and 'Angelina' are both light-hearted takes on unrequited love: in the first, Maria spurns a suitor who is hopelessly in love with her, while he tries to convince her to change her mind; and in the second, the lyrics ask, 'Angelina, if you don't want to marry me, then tell me who would be the right man for you.' 'Sofala' tells the story of a visit to this Mozambican province, where the singer met a woman who looked like his wife, while 'Podina' is the name of a former lover who left him for another man.

But there are also other themes: 'Muhinhana' ('Laziness') offers advice to those who don't do their fair share of work, and 'Imani-Lwe' ('Who's That?') is a song about the simple joys of life, like the beauty of nature and dancing at the weekends. 'Badanile' ('Shame') narrates the story of an innocent man who is sent to jail. When he returns to his village after many years in prison, the people who accused him are forced to admit their shame in public. 'Ntlhantlhani Tinponta' and 'Marracuene' are more personal. The first talks about the relationship between an artist and his fans, while the second is a farewell song to Dilon's hometown: 'Cry Marracuene, the hour of farewell has arrived. But one day I will come back.'

— CalabashMusic.com