Here’s a Cape Town blues band that knows how to stand out from the crowd. Firstly, sexy lead singer Sannie Fox captures attention with her stunning looks and equally powerful voice. But this is a band that approaches the blues from a very different angle. Stripping the genre back to cyclical guitar riffs and drums, Fox’s growl drags their songs kicking and screaming into the world. Drawing influence from blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Nina Simone and Jimi Hendrix, rock bands like Led Zeppelin and The Black Keys, and African greats like Ali Farka Touré and Busi Mhlongo, Machineri offer up a mesmerising new take on the blues. Opener “Soul People” channels both Simone and Hooker as it pairs some minimalist drums with Fox’s sultry voice, while “Machine I Am” appears to draw influence from the rich vein of Sahel blues pioneered by Malian master Touré. However, singling out highlights on an album this consistently great seems redundant. Listen to the album straight through to hidden track “Goodness” and you’ll be convinced why Machineri are going places.

Key Tracks: “Soul People”, “Machine I Am”