So when we think of Easter egg hunts what probably first comes to mind are multi-coloured memories of you running around a sprawling field of sorts as a yungin, basket in hand while searching in shrubs as far as your tiny hands could reach for those candy coated chocolate gems. In an epic campaign, Africa’s…
In an essay on noise music, the artist and archivist Cedrik Fermont aka C-dirk, takes note of the colonial and racist bias implicit in how music is defined. While experimental music from America and Western Europe is considered the sonic avant-garde, radical sounds from the global South are often bracketed and confined into the banner…
ITONGO is the new sonically soothing slow-release EP by Joburg based multidisciplinary artist Nkhensani Mkhari, whose name may be more familiar to readers through their curatorial role at the Bkhz studio or their multitude of incredible art spanning across photography, painting, new media and performance art. Today however I want to share some thoughts on…
Originally hailing from Durban, producer, composer and recording engineer Sandiso Nzimande, better known as YoursTruly– has been working on crafting his own sound -fusing elements from the artists that motivate and inspire him to create something that is unique to him. While Dreaming in Colour is his debut EP as YoursTruly, he previously released music…
We live in strange times. Truly. Besides all the other shit, we have charlatans calling themselves “influencers” when they wouldn’t know influence if it was Jedi-mind-tricked into them. Back in the day, “influencers” were called trendsetters and, well, that term had a bit more gravitas to it. Trendsetters aren’t about pushing some bullshit on the…
The worlds of hip hop and extreme sports seem like polar opposites. Hip hop is perceived as predominately centring Black men—often from disadvantaged communities—while extreme sports like BMX, ATV, skating and motorcycling is characterised by upper to middle class white men seeking adventure and thrill. However, these two cultures share an important connection – both…
Over the last few years, Durban has become an incubator for some of the best garage bands in the country. Black Math was one of the first bands to lead the charge but a number of magnificent noisemakers like Hated Related, Hadeda, Taekwondo Sleepover and Mouse, have come out of their wake. While many bands…
With the upcoming release of Thundercat’s next studio album, It Is What It Is, the Los Angeles based bassist/songwriter has teased us with the release of “Dragonball Durag“; a single so quintessentially Thundercat, that neither its somewhat obscure subject matter or nostalgic funk instrumental should come as any surprise to fans. In short, “Dragonball Durag”…
Since bursting on the scene in 2016 with his Back Seat Galaxy EP, Espacio Dios has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting genre-bending artists on the scene. The 21-year-old musician from Mafikeng in the North West Province – already has two highly-acclaimed EPs under his belt, his 2017 collab with Aussie DJ…
Unlike the rest of the country, Cape Town’s affinity for the sounds of AmaPiano is limited to a few pockets of the city and a handful of DJs. But, much like when its coastal cousin Gqom first appeared, the sound from Pretoria is slowly starting to gain popularity. Cape Town-based DJ and producer Thibo Tazz…
We all have those songs. Those songs that we feel are us; sonic letters addressed to us personally with lyrics that capture the reality of our situations perfectly. For me, those songs belong to Mac Miller. “ROS” from 2015’s GO:OD AM, spoke to a prior relationship. “You should probably take your heels off / ‘Cause…
SIO has been one of the most captivating vocalists in South Africa for quite some time now. Her voice has been the magical sprinkling of pixie dust that many South African producers have called upon to make their tracks soar to new heights. Unfortunately, you may not know this because being a vocalist on house…
