Raise Your Spirit Higher: Wenyukela
It's been 17 years since Ladysmith Black Mambazo's gorgeous vocal  harmonies  poured the foundation for Paul Simon's landmark 1986 albumGraceland, an album that catapulted the South African a cappella gospel  group into the international consciousness and led to worldwide stardom, a  Grammy, film soundtracks, and candy commercials. Fans of the group's  intricately arranged vocal landscapes will be pleased to know that  all that ensuing attention hasn't diluted the group's appeal. Their latest  CD,Raise Your Spirit Higher, is as strong as anything the group has  recorded in its now 30-year career. Ladysmith has always defined itself by  merging Christian gospel music with a native South African musical  tradition calledisicathamiya, which was developed by mine workers who sang  to entertain themselves after their grueling work. That tradition continues  here, with several tracks like "Uqinisul' Ubada  (Lord is the Light and Truth)" and "Udidekil' Umhlaba (Lord's Work)",  devoted to Christian themes. Since the group sings in their native Zulu,  however, Ladysmith's international appeal has always been in the stunning  variety of sounds they are able to produce with their voices alone, andRaise Your Spirit Higheris no exception. The percussive clicking sounds  on "Selingelethu Sonke" and Wangibambezela" are otherworldly, and the  gorgeous call-and-response between leader Joseph Shabalala and the group on  "Wenza Ngani?" shows that the group's polish hasn't lost anything since  "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes." The most moving track on the album  though, is the closing "Tribute", sung by Shabalala's grandsons in tribute  to their grandmother, tragically murdered in 2002 during the recording of  this album.--Ezra Gale