Shane Cooper & MABUTA

With the release of their sophomore album Finish The Sun, MABUTA presents a unique and Afro-psych-jazz sound

Shane Cooper. [Image by Aubrey Jonsson]

By Esihle Faltein

Growing up in a home with a family that loved music, it's no surprise that Shane Cooper is the bassist, composer, and producer that he is today. "I became obsessed with music very young," Cooper says. His early introduction to a diverse range of music that was of great taste, gave rise to his love and passion for music.

"I've worked on a lot of different music," says Cooper. Though he has largely performed in the realm of jazz, it is only just a fraction of the work that he does. The musician has recorded and performed in genres such as hip pop, electronic dance music, rock music, and ambient music. As a composer for film, he has written music scores for the award-winning documentaries Forerunners and Orbis by Simon Wood and Port Nolloth: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Felix Seuffert, and produced the recording score for the film. Having delved into various pursuits in his career, it is apparent that Cooper leans much into expanding his artistry outside what he knows to be familiar.

In 2018 Cooper released his debut album with his band MABUTA, Welcome to the World. The making of the album was a process that proved to be challenging. Besides having to compose and record the music himself, Cooper had to create an online crowd-fund to raise funds for the album and learn how to mix the band album as well. It was a bold and courageous endeavour. With his sophomore album Finish The Sun released this year in May, the process was less demanding. "I just focused on making the album," he said. Cooper describes the making of the second album as a much smoother process. "I've had a lot of experience mixing band music since the last one," said Cooper.

Finish The Sun by Shane Cooper & MABUTA [Image via Bandcamp]

When I asked Cooper where the name Finish The Sun came from, he shared how he finds inspiration in appreciating the nuances of life. In 2019 Cooper was on tour in Switzerland with a collaborative project with various artists. In one of their rehearsal break, Cooper describes, "The sun was setting, and someone suggested we head inside to continue rehearsing". "I suggested we first, Finish The Sun," he added. For Cooper, the phrase "Finish The Sun" became more than just a title but a mantra of his, the idea of taking extra time to enjoy the goodness of life. "The real wholesome moments," as he calls it.

When it comes to creating music, for Cooper, "It's all about the energy," he says. Cooper draws much of his inspiration from his surroundings - the energy he receives being in nature, around friends and attending music festivals. In the album Finish The Sun, Cooper focused more on an electric sound, with much influence from albums of the 1970s. Listening to the album, you hear how each song effortlessly merges into the other, changing from one genre to the other creating an Afro-psych-jazz sound. It all blends to give a summerlike festive feel.

Not one to be resting, Cooper has a few projects in the works we should look forward to. "I'm working on three new albums of my own at the moment for release over the next 18 months," he said. "Also a few collab projects and producing some music for other artists," he added.