It is 17 years now since Ladysmith Black Mambazo acquired superstar status in the west thanks to their involvement with Paul Simon's Graceland.

In the past five years, they have sold 1.5m records in the UK alone. Their first album of all-new material in seven years marks a return to their musical roots, and shows that they are still developing their extraordinary unaccompanied harmony vocals.

After the murder last year of Nellie Shabalala, the wife of leader Joseph Shabalala, it was inevitable that there would be a sombre edge to the album, and it starts with a moving tribute to her by Joseph's rap-influenced grandsons.

Then Ladysmith move on to some of the most exquisite, thoughtful songs they have ever recorded, with passages of brooding, breathy subtlety matched against the cool pride of Black Is Beautiful or Halala South Africa.