Known for his bold yet spirited work—Zürich-based artist, producer, DJ and vocalist—Xzavier Stone, can be recognised by his subtle and deft spins on rap and R&B music. Stone has a penchant for playfulness and experimentation. “Threading severe electronic music and sound design with harmony and an off-kilter sensuality, Stone offers up a mystery and tease…
Founded in 1974, the National Arts Festival (NAF) has been and continues to be a beloved annual event in South Africa for artists and keen consumers of the arts and theatre alike — with hundreds of thousands of avid art consumers making their annual descent to the small sleepy town of Makhanda as it comes…
Jozi Days is described as a short music documentary by its director London based Tom Ringsby, shot in January of 2019 and documenting a week-long recording session of collaborations between various Johannesburg based artists in a temporary studio space. I find it difficult to locate a single word that succinctly describes what is encapsulated in…
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…
Great-grandson of Xhosa author W.K. Tamsanqa; Siphosenkosi Nkodlwane also known as LaliBoi Xhosa, draws a great deal of inspiration for his music from the works of his wordsmith great-grandfather who was an ever-present part of his life. From the artistic legacy of his great-grandfather, Laliboi draws inspiration specifically for his love of the Xhosa language…
Director and playwright Carla Fonseca brings to audiences the exhilarating one-woman show The Same Pain in collaboration with the Soweto Theatre. Her latest offering acts as a follow up to the acclaimed Modjadji (2017). Portraying a set of characters that uncover their own way of survival in a humanizing narrative of transformation as well as…
“I spent a lot of time by myself so I never really engaged in what was happening” explains RRA of his childhood in Rustenburg. While his older brother lay his rap foundation by introducing him to hip hop in Primary School, his attraction to alternative sounds and artists came from scouring the internet discovering music…
The Flying Fish Flavour Odyssey pops off on the 25th November with much anticipated tropical elementation and Afro-chic. The event will comprise of a flavoursome outdoor affair of music, food, art and fashion. Unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, each carefully curated aspect will be a new eye and bodily trip. The heart of the…
‘Feedback: Art, Africa and the 1980s’ is an exhibition currently being held at Iwalewahaus at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. Iwalewahaus maintains a collection of modern visual arts from Africa, Asia and the Pacific. In addition to visual arts, the archive of Iwalewahaus houses an extensive collection of contemporary African music, films and African…
With a Mozambican father, who always had his guitar on hand ready to play a song, and a South African mother, both with great storytelling abilities, Carla Fonseca, the birth name of Batuk’s frontwoman Manteiga, was exposed to and had a great appreciation for the dramatic arts from a young age. “You know your aunts…
The occult has a long standing overlap with popular music. The notorious and influential magician Aleister Crowley appeared on Beatle’s album covers, while esoteric beliefs fueled the work of Led Zeppelin and David Bowie. The convergence is not surprising – magicians and musicians both mine the subconscious for blazing inspiration, creating art and rituals to…
By its title, Batuk’s latest single should give you a fair idea of what you’re in for. No, they’re not telling you to get out the way, but rather to move that ass of yours to the tropical groove. ‘Move!‘, the first single off the Pan-African duo’s upcoming 7-track Move! EP and Kasi Royalty album…
