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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Meet Daudaulinga Mafrosi string band from Silolo in North Malaita

By Iroasi

It’s delicate yet harmonious; something worth lending ones ears to. I’ve seen it as an idyllic home grown pride, which in my view is fitting to be given a good shout on this growing news machine which we’ve come to acknowledge as our lifhaus of information.

I am talking about a local upcoming group, Daudaulinga, a modernized sort of string band from Silolo in North Malaita which is slowly finding its way into the local music industry with its first ever album.

Originally formed as a mere string band, Daudaulinga flew from the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Cooperation studios( SIBC), with which they’ve managed to record a few string tunes, to Mountol Sound Studios* in White River where they’ve decided to blend their unique sounds with modern instruments claiming “to suit today’s setting and taste.”

Their time with SIBC had as well seen a production of video clips one of which was shared for viewers on youtube.

Dudley, a prominent member of the Malaitan band, spoke with delight when Lifhaus met him and his team at the studios doing final touches to their songs.

Asked what’s the unique thing about their music, Dudley revealed that theirs is a one handed down by the old, “it’s pretty unique you know, we nick name it Mafrosi strings because this type of string playing can only be done with key F. Our old people used it before and it sounds great.”

And Dudley is not joking; Malaita, one of the tracks in the album, is a historic yet sad song that unveils one of the realities of the black birding era. It carries the cries of a north Malaitan mother and her children whom their father was a victim of the tragic massacre. It however turns the gloominess into a somewhat sweet reassuring tap-on-the-shoulder message that the endured suffering has however seen worthwhile changes in the areas they were taken to. Together, the content and the sounds have amounted to an intrigue clash between Mafrosi and modern sounds.

Iced with the famous distinguishable vocal style that the north Malaitans are locally famous for, Daudaulinga seems to be narrating its side of the love story perhaps with an aim to rock Solomon’s love world. They do have a set of love songs with sounds that can rock the mind of a genuine local music follower.

Their beat and style will never be another “One Tox” or “Sharzy”, but diversity wise they’ll surely be another choice in our music bag for interested listeners out there to choose from.

Locally I’ve come to hear of quiet admirers like Wilson Tuhumanu casting their admiral votes for the boys, “I like their style and harmony-quite fitting to go along something like a beer in the evening.”

Danny Dau, the Manager of Mountol Sound Studios, was excited at the release of Daudaulinga’s album with his studio, “their music is unique and it’s great working with them.”

Their album is now on the shelves in Honiara for sale.

*Mountol Sound Stedio is a locally owned recording studio situated at Laundry Valley at White River Honiara. They can be contacted on mountol@hotmail.com

Source: Lifhaus

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