Revered South African composer, trumpeter, and vocalist Mandisi Dyantyis returns with his most transformative work to date, Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula, a deeply spiritual third studio album that captures the essence of renewal and reflection. The project, which arrives today, continues Mandisi’s lifelong conversation with music as a vessel for truth, healing, and self-discovery.
In the lineage of Somandla and Cwaka, this album completes a trilogy that charts a journey through faith, stillness, and purification. Intlambululo
Mandisi’s work has long transcended the boundaries of genre. His compositions blend the sacred with the secular, the personal with the communal. From church pews in Gqeberha to global stages in New York and Cape Town, his music carries a quiet command, speaking to something ancient yet urgently contemporary. It is rooted in jazz but branches out into the universal language of feeling. The Xhosa proverb “Umntu yinkosi ukuzazi” meaning one’s power lies in self-knowledge, echoes through this record as both philosophy and practice.
With Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula, Mandisi reclaims space for reflection in a world that moves too fast. His trumpet, voice, and pen are instruments of introspection, guiding listeners through the cycles of grief, hope, memory, and rebirth. It is an album that not only cleanses but calls upon others to do the same, to listen with the heart and emerge lighter.
Born and raised in Gqeberha, Mandisi’s journey began in the church before extending into academia, where he earned his BMus Honours and Master’s degree in Jazz Studies with distinction from the University of Cape Town. His artistry has graced some of the world’s most respected stages and projects, from the Isango Ensemble Theatre Company, where he serves as associate and musical director, to appearances at Herbie Hancock’s International Jazz Day Global Concert. His compositions have scored major productions, including Rise: The Siya Kolisi Story and Nina: By Whatever Means, the ballet inspired by Nina Simone’s legacy.
On the cusp of this release, Mandisi will embark on a national tour that mirrors the spirit of Intlambululo. Audiences will be invited to experience a series of intimate performances with his seven-piece band across Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Gqeberha, and Cape Town. For Mandisi, this tour is an act of connection between artist and listener, word and sound, body and soul.
As his voice once again fills the nation’s most beloved theatres, Mandisi Dyantyis stands not only as one of South Africa’s most profound musical storytellers but as a custodian of truth in song. Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula is a mirror held up to the spirit, a testament to the power of art to renew and remind us of who we are.
Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula is now available to stream or download globally here: https://platoon.lnk.to/
Tour Dates:
