Lex LayFoy recently dropped a powerful, confessional battle-cry against complacency and conformity in the form of Alienation, produced by Sonic Boom SA. It blazes honesty, liberated self-expression through its uncut and unabbreviated lyrics, set to the dirtiest, grimiest trap beat by AHT Gee. The passionate uproar channels Lex LaFoy’s various incarnations, draws from her multiple…
The media coverage of last weekend’s South African Music Awards has been dominated by Riky Rick and AKA’s petulant responses to not winning any awards. Basically, they feel that they were snubbed. Shame. Unfortunately this has overshadowed how another of the night’s winners- Petite Noir’s La Vie Est Belle/Life is Beautiful (which won in the…
Today we drop an exclusive to settle you into the crisp, cold months ahead. Coming out of one of the coolest label in Cape Town, Swishy Delta has all the right co-signs from Damascus to Yes in French… but let the music speak for itself. The 21st century is the age of multi-hyphenates and slashies,…
Jazz has been enjoying a huge resurgence, with its influence stretching to some of the most cutting edge music of today.The song structure and sound of South African house draws on this countries rich jazz heritage. On last year’s feted To Pimp a Butterfly Kendrick Lamar collaborated with the cream of LA’s jazz scene, like…
A pool of blue light, ebb-flow bodies and scented smoke: It’s difficult not to close my eyes as I sink in. Little specks of orange rise to form shining patterns above our heads as we respond to the call ‘lighters up!’ Throats lifted to the stage lights, the crowd echoes Lucky Dube then plunges their…
Collaboration has become a buzzword, although not everyone who uses it takes full advantage of the possibilities of working with a wide network. In contrast Hadedah, a Johannesburg based collective, is using this framework to deliver unique conceptual experiences. Their curated experimental events are not just feasts for the eyes and ears, but also for…
My first meeting with Moonchild was in Cape Town, she performed at the legendary Cold Turkey and won me over with her energy and openness. Her performance was electrifying and I’ve watched her grow from strength to strength in every facet of her creative output. Now some four years later I sit opposite a SAMA…
TCIYF are a dirty-riffed, crass, thrash punk band with Pule on vocals, Thula on guitar, Tox on bass, and Jazz on drums. Started by members of the Skate Society Soweto family, they’re leading the rule-breaking, Sowetan skate and rock revolution with their uninhibited, conformist-refusal; spitting-out in vulgar lyrics and frantic drum smashes. Fuck your civilisation,…
Art and technology have this shared power to transcend their original context, creating new contexts, and new worlds within which they can be used and understood. These elements meet in interesting ways in Daniel Haaksman and Spoek Mathambo’s new video. Shot in Johannesburg, it reflects the city’s hustle and innovations, its creativity and its unique…
Last October, BubblegumClub (in collaboration with WeHeartBeat) hosted the first in an ongoing series of cultural experiments. For the USB Soundsystem event, held in Melville, a cast of local tastemakers were invited to an open DJ booth. Guests were asked to each play three songs. Rather than mixing skills, the criteria was simply to bring…
The falcon headed Horus was one of the most powerful deities in Ancient Egypt- the Pharaoh’s claimed that they were Horus in human form. It take a lot of self-belief to adopt the name of such a potent mythological figure, but Horus Tha God seems primed to live up to this title. His latest track…
Back to the city is a Johannesburg institution, a hip hop festival celebrating urban music and street culture in one of the world’s most notorious cities. The humble beginnings of back to the city, run parallel to the story of hip hop in SA, and intersect with the revival of the inner city. The festival…
