“Music is the sum total of individual and collective experience.” Lindiwe Mngxitama for Ghostland. A methodology. A sonic cultural aesthetic. A built through sound world. Welcome to Ghostland — apartheid’s afterparty and our after-tears gathering — where Sorrow, Grief, Hope and (im)possible futures gyrate on purgatory dance floors. Ghostland is a Bubblegum Club production that…
Dalene Scwartz’s name might sound recognisable. She participated in two cycles of Idols South Africa – first in the 14th season where she finished in the top 16 and again in the following season where she made it to the top 9. Being a musician was not just a career choice, it is her destiny….
Oskido has been an important figure in South Africa’s music scene for over three decades. In that time, he has seen the popular sound change numerous times and seen many artists come and go. However, Oskido has maintained his status as a legend through his ability to adapt to the changing sound and technology. His…
Amapiano unequivocally has an iron-clad stronghold on South African dance floors. The genre dominates the airwaves and it rules South Africa’s streaming market. More so, the potent drum lines and rhythms of Amapiano are no longer confined within the country’s borders. For the past two to three years, the genre has travelled to Nigeria where…
It’s a beautiful thing to be able to find harmony in discord. This statement doubles in meaning and resonates especially with producers all over the world who were connected on a Discord server created by Chicago based musician Monte Brooker. Amidst the silence a global lockdown allowed, they found inspiration and comfort in shared beats….
Idols is one of the longest-running reality TV shows in the country and it still holds cultural currency with South African audiences. Therefore, winning the competition is not just a major accomplishment, it can be a life-changing experience. And that’s what it was for Zama Khumalo. The 19-year-old was crowned the winner of the 16th…
Over the last couple of years the sounds of Amapiano have been a mainstay in the South African house scene. Its unbelievably smooth rhythms and elements of jazz and kwaito bringing a sense of familiarity ultimately making the genre accessible across the board to lovers of electronic music. With this saturated splash of Amapiano filling…
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…
DJ Lag is quickly becoming a household name internationally, with the last few years seeing him touring overseas regularly and more recently co-producing the track “My Power” for the Beyoncé-curated Lion King soundtrack. July 19th saw the release of his latest EP ‘Steam Rooms’ produced in collaboration with OKzharp from the British label Hyperdub, which…
Espacio Dios doesn’t like to speak about his old music. That’s not because the music isn’t good or because people didn’t like it, he just isn’t the same person anymore. Artists like Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, for different reasons, have been chained to work they made in their 20s, and have to get on…
About a year ago, Buli (born Shibule Ndhambi) stopped releasing music publicly. After moving from Giyani, Limpopo to Pretoria to study, he’d put out a couple of projects that were interesting but that he didn’t feel inspired by. He seemed to be searching for something deeper, and the sounds he was making reflected what he…
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…
