WE ARE ONE Music Festival is framed as an experience of “heritage, music and inevitably oneness”. Founders Tokoloho Booysen and Tshepang Mabizela explain that basing the festival on this idea came through reflecting on the fact that there are so many barriers in Johannesburg that divide people. Their intention was to create a platform that will allow people…
Rhea Blek calls herself The Goddess of Finesse (aka Finessa). It’s apt because she has an impressively delicate touch and skillful use of her voice, which is pretty in line with the definition of ‘finesse’. Rhea is singer/songwriter born and bred in the city of Durban, which you can kinda tell if you’ve been paying attention…
On the 7 March 2018, the first Ray-Ban Reinvention on Air performance and opinion platform for the future of South African music took place at Milk Bar, Keyes Avenue in Rosebank. For 4 consecutive weeks 8 artists will be celebrated over Thursdays and Fridays in conjunction with celebrating 4 of Ray-Ban’s iconic frames. The third week celebrated the…
While West African pop has come to be dominated by the sounds of Afrobeat, it is more of a catch-all term for the variety of West African pop sounds that are emerging from the region. Arguably, it is Fela Kuti who laid the foundation by fusing Western sounds taken from jazz and funk with West…
Selected Ambient is the latest album produced by Switzerland’s talented and distinctive Martina Lussi. The curious Swiss artist who uses sound as a medium is inspired by everything that surrounds her. Throughout her career, she has skilfully found the intersection between music, performance and fine arts. This is evident in the presentation of her work…
Growing up, I always admired Cape Town’s electronic music scene. With the sounds of Sibot, Markus Wormstorm and Richard The Third finding their way to me through SL Magazine’s compilation CDs, I got a taste of a scene I’d never get to experience but would always revere through their releases. These days, while I get to…
On 1 March 2018, Ray-Ban hosted their second week of Ray-Ban Reinvention on Air at Milk Bar, Keyes Avenue in Rosebank. This performance and opinion platform aims to celebrate 8 South African artists in conjunction with celebrating 4 of Ray-Ban’s iconic frames. Hosted by musician Reason, the second artists to join him in conversation and performance were Uncle Party Time and…
On the 22 February 2018, the first Ray-Ban Reinvention on Air performance and opinion platform for the future of South African music took place at Milk Bar, Keyes Avenue in Rosebank. For 4 consecutive weeks 8 artists will be celebrated over Thursdays and Fridays in conjunction with celebrating 4 of Ray-Ban’s iconic frames. The first…
Listening to Glenn Mena’s releases, it becomes clear that he doesn’t want to tie himself to a specific sound. This kaleidoscope of musical influences is in part thanks to his childhood which he spent in Warri State, Nigeria, where he was exposed to music from a number of different sources. “I pick up music from…
When I opened the link for Swiss electronic composer Aïsha Devi‘s ‘Mazdâ‘, I had no idea that I was about to be yanked out of space and time. The song stretches her vocals to breaking point over deep, stabbing synths. This alluring music scores images of a lysergic dance of uncanny bodies, Buddhist icons and…
I hate band origin stories. Fucking loathe them. “Oh, how’d you guys get together?” “Well, the lads and I were all friends in high school and we loved Foo Fighters so we decided to start a band,” or worse, “The label put us together.” But, I like Mouse‘s origin story. I fucking love Mouse, in…
