After winning its independence from France in a brutal civil war, Algeria became a haven for liberation movements and revolutionaries from around the global South. Specifically the city of Algiers, which was home to a cast of “third world” dreamers from South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Vietnam and the US to name but a few….
Pietermaritzburg isn’t exactly known as a hotbed for local talent. That’s not to say that there aren’t countless talented people from Maritzburg, it’s just that the rest of us don’t know about them until they leave. It’s the whole if a tree falls in the woods thing. If a dope album is made in a…
Burial, the recording name of London producer Will Bevan, is one of the most cultishly adored electronic producers of our time. With his albums Burial (2006) and Untrue (2007), he created a sonic universe that was at once beautiful and bleak. His music conjures immediate images of rain-swept streets, melancholic comedowns and lost futures. Burial’s…
It’s been a year since Boyz ‘N Bucks co-founder and Spova Gang member uSanele returned to music with the release of the EP Gangular, and he is back once again with his uMvelase EP. In contrast to his previous release which saw the rapper show his versatility by merging different genres, uMvelase is a record…
A dark moody atmosphere- you can almost taste the smoke and all it shrouds -a blue and purple dimly lit bar that could be both nowhere and everywhere all at once, a single arm outstretched towards me as I watch. A face that looks away from me, their eyes draped by the lashes of despair….
The last decade has seen golden era kwaito give way to the likes of new age, future- and Durban-kwaito as well as a growing number of genre-fluid articulations of the style along with artists who count kwaito as one of their many influences. These artists are at the forefront of evolving the genre; moving away…
The artist talks experimental sounds, healing, Johannesburg displacement and trauma on Grindr. “To be honest, I can’t even tell you what I was healing from” Desire laughs over the phone with me. I’m on a midday call with Desire who is in their hometown situated in KZN as he graciously accepts the interruption. With this…
South African born, Berlin-based Lakuti (Lerato Khathi) is a force to be reckoned with. While she might not be a household name in South Africa these days, she has been making quite an impact on the European electronic music scene for over 20 years. In her extensive career, the DJ, label head, promoter, booking agent and…
2019 has been a year to remember for one of British youth’s brightest voices Stormzy. From a Time magazine cover star to becoming the first Black British artist to headline arguably the biggest festival in the world; Glastonbury, donning a Banksy designed stab-proof vest with a washed-out Union Jack painted on. Mix in his first…
2019 has seen amaPiano emerge from the underground and into the mainstream, with amaPiano front runner Kabza De Small and all-round hitmaker DJ Maphorisa leading the charge. The Return of the Scorpion Kings sees the duo reunite for their third collaboration of the year, following on from their debut Scorpion Kings and Piano Hub. As…
In the three years that she’s been making music, Rose Bonica has quickly become your favourite producers’ favourite producer. Well, at least some of my favourite South African producers absolutely love Rose and lose their shit whenever she drops something. Last week my timeline was flooded with local producers gushing over Rose’s latest EP, Mouthful…
Anicca is the new offering by Bronx born producer, visual artist and soundscape architect Mtendere Mandowa better known by his stage name Teebs. The artist’s affiliation with Flying Lotus’ label Brainfeeder in the greater scheme of things is a seal of approval nearly unmatched within the world of electronic music and Anicca is yet another…
