WITCH return with new single "Queenless King"

Mar 19

Mar 19 WITCH return with new single "Queenless King"

On Wednesday March 19th 2025, Zamrock legends WITCH return with their new single Queenless King alongside the announcement of their UK/EU/North American tour dates and new album, ‘SOGOLO’, out 13th June 2025 on Partisan Records.

Following their remarkable global rediscovery and subsequent critical acclaim around 2023’s reunion album “Zango”, WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc) return with an even more ambitious creative statement, “SOGOLO”.

Its name derived from the word in Zambian dialect for “future,” the album is a sonic victory lap for a band who once seemed lost to history. “SOGOLO” takes strains of the garage-infused psych, funk, and Zamrock that the band quite literally helped invent back in their 70s heyday and reflects the experimental spirit of the moment, driven as always by the magnetic energy of frontman Emmanuel ‘Jagari’ Chanda.

A standout track, the single Queenless King is funky and urgent, driven by the magnetic energy of Jagari. The song explores the perils of marrying badly. The demo was brought to the band by the singer, with the verse bass-line written by producer Jacco Gardner. Synth overdubs were added by other original member Patrick Mwondela.

The single and “SOGOLO” were recorded in Berlin, during a 10-day break in the band’s 2024 whirlwind tour schedule. Helmed in the studio again by Gardner, the songs on :”SOGOLO” brim with urgency, excitement, and discovery. Sogolo - future - echoes a longstanding ethic of the band, going back to their 1980 disco album, ‘Moving On’.

Check out the video for Queenless King below:

The full story of WITCH is almost too amazing to believe. Known as the "Zambian Beatles," WITCH founded the "Zamrock" movement and released seven albums during the '70s and early '80s. Tragically, the AIDS epidemic brought an end to the Zamrock era and claimed the lives of all original members other than Jagari. WITCH's music was reissued in 2012 and prompted their rediscovery and ultimate reformation. “Zango” was met with rapturous acclaim including a major NY Times profile, sold-out world tours, and an award-winning documentary that screened globally. With “SOGOLO”, WITCH have resoundingly delivered the sound of a band whose creative spark continues to blaze, proof that their legacy is still far from finished.

As we embark on this new album, we invite you to join us on a transformative journey that embodies our core ethos as a band: the relentless pursuit of artistic evolution,” says Patrick Mwondela, their keys and synth visionary, responsible for their 80s resurgence with disco. “Gathering at ‘Zango’ was not just a moment in time; it was a pivotal experience that fueled our creativity and ignited our passion to push boundaries. This album is a reflection of that spirit—an exploration of new frontiers, where every note and lyric is a step into the unknown. We believe that music is a living, breathing entity that grows and changes, just as we do”.

Lead singer Jagari continues “‘SOGOLO’ means front or future. It is the future of a team with hope, peace, love; we’re wearing smiles, we march and dance to criss-cross rhythms. Let’s go friends, let’s go guys – ‘SOGOLO’ in unity”

TOUR DATES

Wed May 21 | Edinburgh, UK – La Belle Angele

Thu May 22 | Staffordshire, UK – Bearded Theory

Fri May 23 | London, UK – Wide Awake

Sat May 24 | Margate, UK – Where Else

Wed May 28 | Brussels, BE – Ancienne Belgique Club

Fri May 30 | Galenbeck, DE – Blechsonne

Wed Jun 11 | Barcelona, ES – Sala-Upload

Fri Jun 13 | Hilvarenbeek, NL – Best Kept Secret

Wed Jul 2 | Sète, FR – Worldwide Festival

Wed Sep 3 | Riverside, CA – Farm House Collective

Thu Sep 4 | Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern