How Hurlastringz Striking Chords Etches Cultural Memory in “My Heritage”

 
By Emmanuel Daraloye
 
AFTER listening to yet another batch of instrumental gospel music out on rotation, my Sunday afternoon came with a pleasing new discovery from Nigerian musician Hurlastringz.  Two songs actually caught my attention, and since then it’s been quite a struggle to determine the most interesting version between Hurlastringz’ “My Heritage” and its remix. For the Christian gospel composer and guitarist, both songs are an ascendant foray into deep Yoruba music traditions, especially progressive and ethnic folk.
If you listened to the 2006 hit “Olori Oko” by Nigerian gospel group Infinity, you’d get a sense of what Hurlastringz successfully pulled off with both versions of “My Heritage”. At its best, it’s a quintessential experience of pre-colonial Nigerian music traditions, and, at its worst it’s a criminally underrated spin.

Kicking off with a drum progression that sounds like the Marimba and Pot drums of Yoruba folk, which is also quite similar to Malian griot music, “My Heritage” announces itself with a soulful horn section that sounds like a victory lap anthem. The horns shuttle between sombre and airy, with Hurlastringz’ bassy Jazz guitar chords easing the mid-tempo tune into a meditative, dancey, trance music. The most catchy part of “My Heritage” is Hurlastringz’s iconic refrain that becomes the song’s musical motif, coming alive repeatedly with a giddy, slow-burn cadence. In the remix he adds a cinematic chant section around the end of the second minute, deepening the ‘Oriki’ style of praise chanting that he phrased with his chord progressions in the original. “Ise logun ise, mura si, ore mi!,” the female chant hovers over Hurlastringz’ catchy refrain.

Listening to both versions of “My Heritage” encapsulates the listener in a deeply meditative state. Composed for emotional release, the song hits the mark with catharsis, especially as Hurlastringz masterfully combines looping guitar motifs with a slow cadence. It’s an easily memorable tune, with shock and recall value amplified by its blend of indigenous Yoruba music traditions: antiphons, short verses, and folk percussion.
From mimicking praise chants with his guitar phrasing to including soulful antiphon vocals, the song is a brilliant attempt at creating a heritage-soaked record. It’s a worthy spin, with music tuned for universal audiences — whether it’s a Sunday morning church service, or a Saturday night artsy bacchanal. It’s an intriguing culturally charged record that is poised to stand the test of time, and it’s a befitting muse for progressive guitar-led fusions.

Overall, Hurlastringz’ “My Heritage” continues in his line of guitar-driven fusions that have taken him from highlife (“Highlife Special”) to Yoruba folk, all the time stamping his potential with the hot wax of artsy curiosity. His music tends to inspire thought, and induce dancing, but without the residue of melodic curiosity disappearing. It’s the type of record that makes you consider what’s truly possible when a guitar, a culturally conscious mind and a curious heart all combine to create magic. It’s not Jimi Hendrix, but the soulful chord work speaks volumes about Hurlastringz’ growing appetite for excellence. A solid 8/10.