The musician previously released rhumba albums that did not make much impact on the market.
He has now decided to venture into the popular sungura genre with his new band, Mutodi stars.
The six-track album is expected on the market this week but some of the tracks, like Tinofanana Pakuona and Rumbie, are getting airplay on National FM and Radio Zimbabwe.
The sungura album is a reflection of the backgrounds of Mutodi’s new band members that include Gift “Shiga Shiga” Katulika, Spencer Khumulani, Innocent Mjintu and Gaison Sixpence.
Khumulani’s thumping bass guitar that was unmistakable on the late Tongai Moyo’s songs stands out on most songs on the album while Mjintu’s lead guitar that made him a household name at Alick Macheso’s Orchestra Mberikwazvo heavily influences the beat.
Shiga Shiga does the chanting that he has always been known for.
Listeners will definitely trace rhythms that were previously distinct in Dhewa and Macheso’s beats.
“The album is the beginning of a sungura journey. I am a versatile musician and I play what the market wants,” said Mutodi.
“This is a permanent move. I have moved to sungura because itis the popular genre. I will include one or two rhumba songs in my next album because I just love rhumba. But I have realised rhumba has lost popularity and I will go with the popular genre.”
He said the recruitment of sungura instrumentalists was a deliberate move towards his genre cross-over.
The six-track album consists of songs watsamwei, tinofanana Pakuona, rumbie, uchanditsvaka, kuteerera and chipo Chababa.
Mutodi has been villified in the media for luring Katulika and Khumulani from young Peter Moyo, a move that earned him a few brickbats from sungura maestro Alick Macheso.