Blaq Diamond – made up of Ndumiso Mdletshe and Sphelele – fuse Maskandi, Mbube and other traditional elements into their pop-leaning iteration of afro soul. Fittingly, they describe their sophomore album ‘Umuthi’ as “Mbube, African sounds from the mountains.” We caught up with them to shed light on their journey so far and gain some insight into their music-making processes.The multi-faceted duo pride themselves on having full creative control over their art, having honed their skills since they first started in high school. “It’s probably been a straight ten years,” Mdu reveals. “We are full time now and produced, mixed and mastered this album. We really enjoy making music and we’re always making music.”The result of that dedication is a sophomore offering filled with gripping storytelling and alluring melodies. After a strong first impression, Umuthi is a follow up album more about solidifying and evolving their sound. “The title of the album basically means the medication,” they share. “We wanted to make sounds that would heal people… that would take people back to their roots but at the same time not move too far away from popular culture.”