Bokani Dyer has been an important part of the newest wave of South African artists to add to the country’s rich musical heritage, and he throws an interesting curveball with this new set. Several years ago he won acclaim as a pianist but here reveals his skills as a vocalist with a measured, expressive tone. Even more importantly, the stylistic scope of the songs is broader than ever, as soul and singer-songwriter influences give a more complete picture of the artist who was associated first and foremost with the acoustic trio lexicon. The results are good. Dyer has always had a pleasing way with melody and he uses it well, negotiating many changes in rhythmic as well as textural settings, which range from folkish-mid tempo laments to funky, often danceable electronica.

Contemplative ballad mode also suits him. A track such as ‘Tiya Mowa’ is the most powerful argument for the eclecticism in any case, as Dyer’s voice, heard in an African language rather than English, is very affecting, and well served by a gently flowing minor key arrangement and female chorus that has a slight echo of Somi’s recent Miriam Makeba project. An interesting document of Dyer’s versatility, which raises expectations as to how interesting his subsequent evolution could be.