Witch

Along with artists like Chrissy Zebby and the Ngozi Family, Witch (an acronym for We Intend to Cause Havoc) are an excellent example of the recently re-discovered "Zam-rock" scene of mid-'70s Zambia, which melded funk, rock and African rhythms with a heady dose of psychedelic, progressive textures and English-sung vocals, and flourished in such major cities as Lusaka and Chingola. Originally released in 1975 on a small local label, Lazy Bones!! certainly veers more towards the rock spectrum than funk on the gloomy "Black Tears," which starts with plaintive acoustic ambience before exploding into a pummelling drum- and electric guitar-guided blast that summons the Stooges and Black Sabbath, and perhaps more to the point, the otherworldly cosmic slop of early Funkadelic. Awash in fuzz tone and burbling wah-wah guitars, the production is lo-fi, to say the least, and that only adds to the garage-y power of rave-ups like the funky "Havoc" and the badass strut of "Motherless Child," making Lazy Bones!! an exhilarating and bewitching experience.