Various Artists - Himba Hymn: Ghosts Of Namibia's Skeleton Coast

Recorded live in northwest Namibia, Himba Hymn: Ghosts Of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast documents music from the Himba people, presented here for the first time on record. Produced by Ian Brennan, the album centres on performances captured on location, shaped by environment as much as tradition.

A key sound comes from the ‘cattle gun’, a wind instrument made from oryx horn, producing breathy, rattling tones. Voices carry equal weight, with singers using hand techniques to create natural chorus and flanging effects, while select tracks introduce subtle live looping to extend the vocal interplay.

Rather than framing the music as fixed or folkloric, these recordings highlight a fluid, inventive approach to sound-making, grounded in everyday practice and communal performance.