THE HOUSE OF SUN-EL: Sun-El Musician, Simmy, Mlindo The Vocalist, and other related artists

Nabozo OTM. With You is kind of hedging its bets, but overall it's a pleasant (sometimes erring on the safe/generic side) listen. The last part of the album is much more like it as far as I care so far. This'll make great BBQ music whatever happens

With You is one of the weaker tracks but it's still nice for the vocal loop that comes in at the end.

Sengimoja is the one.

I was listening to Sonsini and thinking how amazing it would be to be dancing to this song at sunrise and then the soft rock guitar came in and just slayed me. That one might actually be better than Akanamali.

The rest of this album = let vibes be unconfined.

Sonini slightly reminds me of Time is Over (for sheer technoish sky-suspended brilliance). Qamata sonini.

Okay I listened to the whole album twice while driving this morning and it's really growing on me. Still not a big fan of the first track but the rest is wonderful. Definitely great in the right context

since I rinsed Akanamali last year, I find starting on track 3 works really well

Testing the waters with the Sun-El fandom: I posted this slightly trippy SA gem on the Afropop thread, but over there no one’s biting.
https://youtu.be/J1ednPRrNH0

Zinaro ft. JB (of Thee Legacy) & Dust, “Dali Wami”

As for the S-EM album, “No Stopping Us”, which didn’t do much for me when it dropped in February alongside “Bamthathile”, really shines in the album context. It wears its generic Robin Schulziness extremely well.

Every English-language voice on this is kind of unwelcome even when the music is amazing - that first track is a case in point, when she drifts into the background and the vocal loops come in it's completely sublime but before that nah.

Agree on “With You” (but it’s as much the melody and the vocal itself as the English) and maybe “Life We Live”, but I’m fine with the English on “No Stopping Us” and “Goodbye”. NSU feels to me like an open invitation to play Janelle’s “Screwed” next.

is there a way of buying this album without having to go via iTunes? I don't want a stupid iTunes format file, I want an MP3 or pref a FLAC/WAV?

I don't know if it's available digitally in FLAC/WAV anywhere but Google Play has it in 320 mp3

“Sonini”, the track with Simmy and Lelo Kamau, is the new single and has a video to go with it: https://youtu.be/cFr81MqoTKw

i think that's my second favourite after Akanamali

The entire run from Sonini to the end is absolutely faultless and glorious.

i'm looking forward to this being my sunny road trip album this summer

Album of my summer. Particularly the second half. I do wish it was available physically.

Bumping for the Bank Holiday weekend.

I liked this from the git-go, but I had it on the other day and realized that it's really sunk in for me without me realizing. So many great tracks.

Simmy's album Tugela Fairy is supposed to be out sometime in the near future. hopefully there's more songs as great as Ubala on it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYT1YZxG-OU

can confirm that this album is excellent sunny road-trip listening!!

"ubala" is really nice

ain't no stopping us the sun is out let's have some fun https://2c.zol-img.com.cn/product/29_1200x900/744/ceIJSwLhp0LM6.gif

i'm glad simmy will be putting out her own album

i also love lelo kamau's vocal on "goodbye" especially

yesss "sengimoja" has a video now too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4lhMWpUZVg

def another album highlight

Mlindo The Vocalist, the... singer who’s featured on “Bamthathile”, has his own album out (he worked with DJ Maphorisa though, not with Sun-El).

“AmaBlesser” is the hit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WWwuUeXQRg

Simmy dropped three tracks of her upcoming album. Very hard to choose between them, they’re all gorgeous, but I’m picking “Umahlalela”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1c8eD6NZyA

This seems as good a place as any to post this majestic Heavy K track that's in a similar (but perhaps more euphoric) vein:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoR2UVK8OPc

Yes, that’s a good one.

But damn it, I can’t not post “Ngiyesaba” also. Bring it on, Simmy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koOMqVjHcKg

the Simmy album is out 16 November, super excited for that, all the singles are fantastic

the three simmy tracks are all rly impressive. and "ubala" ofc is gorgeous. anticipating the album!

“Umahlalela” is the highest scoring song of the year in The Singles Jukebox:

http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=26580

Tugela Fairy is divine, especially loving Njalo (Ufikile) and Vele Kungcono

Jealous of your ears, ufo! I trust it to be on Spotify by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in a similarish vein, Bucie also dropped an album this week, Rebirth. It didn’t really grab me on first listen, but “Soz’ Uphinde” (which I posted on the Afropop thread a while back) is very good, and closing track “Glory” stood out as well. The highlight for me is “You Chose Me” with Yemi Alade, an unexpected delight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xsp4IzlGsc

“Umahlalela” is the highest scoring song of the year in The Singles Jukebox:
― breastcrawl, Thursday, November 15, 2018 12:52 PM (seven hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I guess I'm disappointed this is not a cover of Mahlalela (by Letta Mbulu). Though I think it's still a traditional South African "chant". I wish there was a list / anthology somewhere of these folk songs. At least ever since I heard the soundtrack of Sarafina (which I can't resist to post two from).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGpOVquHkH0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPGy8utYD0Q

those simmy tracks are great

The album is on spotify now. It's good.

yeh it is cheers, this is lovely friday afternoon stuff

Such a wonderful album. The whole stretch from “Hamba Juba” to “Ngonile” is flawless.

Such a beautiful album.

just been listening to it all week

ummm so i was at my 10-year high school reunion tonight (lol) and fucking "akanamali" was on the playlist at the bar where it was hosted. i freaked out slightly and actually briefly asked around as to who put the playlist together. fess up, which one of you was it?!?

Listening to this again after a few days’ hiatus, and me totally otm:

The whole stretch from “Hamba Juba” to “Ngonile” is flawless.

ditto

Video for Simmy’s “Umahlalela”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h1-TgYur4g

Sun-EL’s video for “Ntaba Ezikude” (featuring Simmy!) is out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttO-lvil80w

Tugela Fairy also happens to be the perfect Xmas album

Have yourself a Simmy little Christmas!

so much great music across these albums

it's only really an issue over the course of a 3 hour album

The number of tracks seems to come from a place of generosity, though, rather than “lack of quality control”

Three quarters of this - the first half and last few songs - are excellent. "Amateki," "Higher," and "Bestfriend" especially. "Amateki" is an immediate mood boost. "Higher" has a spiritual quality to it and is one of my favorite tracks of the year. The third-quarter of the album, which consists of instrumental afro-house tracks "Jozi", "Spiritual Bomb," and "Alone" I wish was about 10 minutes shorter.

https://ra.co/features/3968

still the best thing Sun-El has been involved in this year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k05g9_Yo7fI
Miči ft. Sun-El Musician • Respond

one of my favs ❤️

Sun-El doesn’t make amapiano (although some remarks and posts here and elsewhere suggest otherwise), but I’m hoping this poll I created might get the amapiano party started again on ILM, because we’re seriously logging… lagging behind. here’s your invitation - I hope you will all participate:

drowning in a blissful ocean of log drums and keys: 🎹🎹 amapiano a-z 🎹🎹 an ilm poll

not Sun-El, but this is a production by fellow Afro House adept (and sometimes collaborator) Thakzin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp3o_c2pCtA
Nana Atta ft. DJ Thakzin • Libalele

(I haven’t listened to the rest of the Emakhosini EP it’s from yet)

^^^ very good little EP. made me realise how little afro house I’ve been listening to in the past year or so (post-“Osama” perhaps?) - too much piano, too little time basically.

I loooove “Nyoni”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO3W3YUH6zI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTYV_8ef0a8
Msaki ft. Sun-El Musician • Pata Pata Saguquka

Hmmm, think I recognize the chorus of that from somewhere else? Possible cover?

are you in jest, sir?

https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/sa-miriam-makeba-featured-new-whisky-ad

from the new Murumba Pitch album (which is otherwise firmly and delectably in the piano camp):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJsdfOkr-o
Murumba Pitch ft. Ami Faku & Sun-El Musician • Esikhathini

not sun-el, altho a callaborator...has anyone listened to karyendasoul's 'we live 4 our music'? i havent really stopped listening to it for the last month

i dont know whats my favorite on this, but my shortlist is "juba", "mngani wam", "umthandazo", "umoya, "jacaranda" (which is half the album).

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkxvR5h7irQsPpq-AHY7QE3fb9KJ8bhxG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31d8F0v4VWo

and not for nothing his collabs with zakes bantwini have been incredible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mu3D6FqyYw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_O5pHq6myw