On Our Radar: Inami

Up until early 2013, Inami was not a name one would associated with the Kenyan/East African house music scene. Interestingly though, a little digging here and there reveals that the singer (also known as Faith Nthambi in more formal circles) has always been musically inclined. Currently studying Music at Kenyatta University, she is also the lead vocalist of a genre-bending band called The Musketeers. Her signing to the relatively new Nairobi-based house music label Celsius Degree is what has properly brought her into the limelight after setting up her club banging collabo with Boneless on the track Supasta.

Her work with producer Saint EVO has culminated in a four track EP entitled Little Lost. The EP also serves as one of the flagship productions that introduces the label’s unique addition to the melting pot that is afro-house music. They call it Equatorial House and describe it as a mix of elements of tribal/soulful/deep house and elements of sounds that originate closer to home. 

The entire EP has a certain laid-back mood to it as its base but also attempts to vary each song to showcase different sides of Inami’s vocal abilities. We think she is at her best on Constant Craving and the retro-sounding Peace but the other tracks are not far off either. Sample the entire EP below:

Her latest release is set to be yet another collaboration with St. EVO and Zimbabwean singer Dumac on a track called Ingoma Lo. Check out the teaser below:

THE BOTTOM LINE

With a voice that sounds like it was made for house music and a propensity for exploring other genres of music, Inami’s future releases are guaranteed to be interesting enough to keep a keen lookout for. Celsius Degree have also come out as a force to reckon with in the local house music scene. 

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