MZANSI MUZIQ 2021 🇿🇦 Rolling South Africa thread

by popular demand: a thread that’s meant to function as the focal point for all the wonderful new music coming out of the good land of Mzansi (and immediate surroundings). this is the place to post your favourite tracks by your favourite amaKhosi nezIndlovukazi (that’s kings and queens in Zulu) of amapiano, gqom, (afro)house, kwaito, soul and rap, and whatever else might strike (y)our fancy...

(and yes, this means that it’s more or less replacing the mini-myriad of SA-themed threads (Sun-El, “eMcimbini”/Kabza, Amapiano) that have sprung up recent(ish)ly. they are still here obviously, but use them wisely, lovingly and sparingly. it's easy if you try - I hope)

let's kick off with a repost from the Sun-El thread of the current big summer hit in SA right now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AagjAUE8U8s
Blaq Diamond • SummerYoMuthi

huge amapiano track, not (yet?) on Spotify/etc for some reason:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2oUtIhSX00
DJ Obza • Dlozi’lam
(Shazam, in all its wisdom, lists the artist as “Joynomics”)

another very good current Obza track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5etyYdRRCBo
DJ Obza ft. Leon Lee • Mang’ Dakiwe

Limpopo (in the) house: there’s much more where Master KG came from. as producers go, there’s also DJ Call Me. here he is with the awesome Makhadzi, whose recent album I nominated for the EOY, but Call Me’s own album is equally good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb77lccDHKo
DJ Call Me ft. Makhadzi & Mr Brown • Maxaka

more about this genre of “bolobedu house” here:
https://www.okayafrica.com/master-kg-jerusalema-bolobedu-house-tracks-check-out/

...and I'm also loving this track at the moment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb2HYdZMaGQ
DJ Luvas ft. Mnisi • Egoli

so much for me for now - what are your favs of the moment?

Is this gonna be all pop music? Because I've been listening to a fuckton of South African jazz the last couple of years and that shit is amazing. Crucial names: Nduduzo Makhathini, Ndabo Zulu, Linda Sikhakhane, Thandi Ntuli, Siya Makuzeni, Bokani Dyer, Benjamin Jephta.

The Brownswood label is putting out a compilation called Indaba Is later this month. Here's the first single, Bokani Dyer's "Ke Nako":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Mvqyc7DMM

My favorite that (I think) wasn't posted on last year's thread is "Mercedes" by Semi Tee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4-FPxxH7b8

We’re bundling the various South African offshoots of the Rolling Afropop thread into one Rolling SA thread (of which this is the first edition), so yeah, the focus is definitely on “pop”, but as long as any non-pop stuff you’re posting is current I think we can *roll* with it. Pretty sure at least some people will appreciate the jazz!

As for “Mercedes”, it was posted on the Amapiano Awesomeness thread back in May. Semi Tee is a blast, and so is rapper Focalistic, who's on this track.

Egad, I was wrong! Well, I guess that's why it's a good idea to have one thread instead of half a dozen.

Jazz makes sense since it's such a big part of the SA music mindset, imo. Very happy about this thread in general.

JazziDisciples to thread!

There's a cover story on South African jazz (based around the aforementioned Indaba Is compilation) in the new issue of The Wire, which just came out today:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eriu4-jXIAEqX1j.jpg

Jazz and pop have some overlap these days imo.

Have you guys heard this 2019 album by Tlale Makhene “s.g 2.0”? It’s so good, I’ve been obsessed w it lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZImX0f1CE

Damn deej, this album is amazing! When are we rerunning the 2019 EOY?

A profile on Tlale Makhene:
https://www.jazzitout.com/2020/02/21/tlale-is-a-percussionist-whose-drum-beat-was-nurtured-the-swazi-way/

So S.G 2.0 is the follow-up to his 2017 Swazi Gold album, consisting in large part of “remixes” of that album’s tracks. The track deej posted (which is new) is actually the only percussion-heavy one, the rest is much closer to Makhene’s own description of them as “lounge and soul” (for “lounge” read “electronic”, I guess). Musical partner and producer Ziyawa Ka Zitha (who’s from Eswatini/Swaziland) quite probably plays a big role here. Opening track “Gegege”, which I'm currently luxuriating in, is just him (Ziyawa) with singer Juda Selitjane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3elGc7YvZ0

(I’m a sucker for the kind of vocal harmonies that are employed on this album, they remind me of early 90s r&b and stuff, but you also hear them in turn-of-the-century SA house trio SHANA, featuring a young Black Coffee.)

Listening to Swazi Gold now, and some of the original versions are pretty old-school gospely soul jazz and their “remixes” on 2.0 really are *something else* altogether, his way of “mov[ing] with the times before finding himself on the other side of evolution”. But not everything is: the original “Emabhunswini” for instance is a trip and a half in itself.

this thread sure got off to an unexpected start - not complaining tho!

^that sounds cool, will check it out.

If we're still talking about recent jazz, I listened to the Ndabo Zulu album Queen Nandi yesterday and it's stunningly good: https://ndabozulu.bandcamp.com/album/queen-nandi-the-african-symphony.

Yeah, I love that record. I actually had a long Zoom conversation with Ndabo Zulu, Nduduzo Makhathini and Mbuso Khoza about it when I was writing a review of the album.

Off the 2021 tip, one thing I wanted to do this year was explore more of the older music from Africa (I've been following since 2019, but given all the great songs I've heard imagine all the great stuff I missed before then!). I've been enjoying going through this list as a starting point: https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2014-07-15-the-100-greatest-south-african-songs/

One highlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1OQLHHH63M

that’s Felix Laband • Whistling In Tongues, from 2002.

my request for this thread (and all other music threads really):

🔻🔻Could everyone please label the tracks they are posting?
It makes it so much easier to search for something, and as with all internet links, there is every chance these YouTubes (or Soundclouds or whatever the case may be) will become broken at some point (in a couple of years perhaps, or you know, next week, it happens all the time), and then we won’t have anything left to go on.🔺🔺

that list looks great, Greg, I feel the same about getting to know the classics better, but while I'm busy thread (traffic) policing - a reminder that we have a dedicated thread for older African pop:

Old School Afropop

(btw some ilxors might be interested to learn that that Laband track also received the Todd Terje remix treatment)

not sure how much longer TNS intends to continue to drip drop tracks before he releases his album (the tally is now at six), but this is one of the best so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMeb01inrCA
TNS ft. Nokwazi Mtshali & Nomcebo Mthethwa • Kwamashu

The DJ Obza album (it’s called Masego and features “Mang’ Dakiwe” but not “Dlozi’lam”) is very good.

Since we accept jazz, let's also accept r&b. This song from last year is quite magnetic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEWCJc1atvc
Elaine - You're the One

Through some odd channels, I recently came into a digital copy of Phelimuncasi's first record from 2016, which has seemingly disappeared from the internet. It's quality gqom, really digging it today.

ooh that TNS track breastcrawl posted is really cool

There's a clip for Makazi

In case you're interested to hear the follow-up to Dumelang, here's Nobody

Also Boohle is officially the closest singer to Sha Sha. Enjoying discovering her stuff, even if she's maybe not quite, not quite there.
But it's close.
Boohle - Inyembezi for example. Or Mama.
She was mentioned once last year. Her album with Josiah De Disciple is titled Umbuso Wabam'nyama (october last year), it's really consistent.

oh yeah, I like Boohle!

admire this beautiful piano with a Sun-El extension:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwF9S59F4II
Kelvin Momo ft. Sino Msolo & Souloho • Madlamini

that's really nice

might be my favourite song of the year so far, just so carefree and beautiful

I need to revisit it with much better speakers, but yeah it's cool to see 'piano done so gracefully

luv 2 start threads at the worst possible time: TRESOR, the Congolese-South African singer with the heavenly voice

https://www.theafricareport.com/62955/sibongile-khumalo-voice-of-the-new-south-africa-dies-at-63/

RIP Sibongile Khumalo, South African Zulu township jazz & choral singer. I know she’s not exactly perfect for this thread, but thought readers of this thread might nevertheless be appreciative.

RIP. I had never listened to her before. Definitely old school, impressive voice.

someone has been watching "Jerusalema" blowing up worldwide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcLM3brK16o
DJ Cleo ft. Bucy Radebe • Gcina Impilo Yam

it's actually an amapiano rework of this recent gospel smash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RpnvLCgED8
Bucy Radebe • Uzugcin'impilo Yam'

the dance steps look easy enough, now let's hope "Gcina Impilo Yam" will roll off international tongues as easily as "Jerusalema" (or "ngilondoloze"/"y yo no lo se" lol)

I'm a big fan of Manqonqo. he started out in the Limpopo House/Bolobedu scene (working with producer Airic), but this is the best I've heard him on amapiano so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-Wuqda9d8
Bee Kay ft. Manqonqo • Imali

sensational jam, love the dramatic disco strings and the organ vamps on this, and that beat is sumptuous

god for an opportunity to dance to this in public

He has a new song out gaining ground called Amaneighbour, but I will post this really fun song from two years ago: Killer Kau - Kataliya

I'm also getting interested in producer Busta 929 who has really unique take on the genre, quite free and deconstructed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHEvvDKAZA
Mr JazziQ & Busta 929 - Ekseni feat. Boohle SA & Zuma

It's worth checking Vsop which is fascinating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSKKAw024fs
Mr JazziQ & Busta 929 ft. Reece Madlisa, Zuma, Mpura, Riky Rick, 9umba - VSOP

Maybe it's the year Amapiano explodes as a genre as it's taken apart and to its logical end

Also:
https://www.okayafrica.com/south-african-artists-to-watch-2021/?rebelltitem=1

The album, Maba Jabul’abantu, is really uncharted territory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryJjULFAquk
Reece Madlisa & Zuma - Sithi Sithi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLFULXPUqgk
(mfr souls ft. bassie - bathandwa)

crossposting here after having been made aware of this thread ;P

really enjoying "bathandwa" from the mfr souls album. that album's been out since august of last year(?) but i guess i wasn't fated to hear this track until it got a video and could thus reach my ears via youtube recommendation algorithm/overlord

― dyl, Sunday, February 14, 2021 12:27 PM (three hours ago)

yes, “Bathandwa” is a fabulous track.

Musical Kings is one of those big amapiano albums that I still haven’t listened to in full even tho all the tracks I have heard are great - see also DJ Stokie’s My Journey. they’re just so damn long!

― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, February 14, 2021 1:37 PM (two hours ago)

good morning!

Sweet stuff, TNS is doing amapiano. His album must be around the corner with the number of songs he just released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dqr1n2a7Vk
TNS - Umhlaba Wonke

apparently as of a couple weeks ago, dj obza's "dlozi’lam" from upthread is now streamable as "idlozi lami," the first track on an open mic productions compilation. (good thing too b/c it's gorgeous)

Baby Are You Coming? for the pandemic era:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGUjtcUF70
SHELOVESKAMO ft. Ch'cco & Crush • You My Baby

catching up on this thread and the the mr jazziq & busta 929 tracks are really cool, especially "ekseni". really love that massive hi-hat/snare sound

Jersualema never did much for me, but wow at "Gcina Impilo Yam" !

i'm behind on the thread but this just came through my inbox:
https://www.dw.com/en/warner-demands-licence-fees-for-jerusalema-videos/a-56594810

what a skeleton move

More great vocals by Mthandazo Gatya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ESyyt4Q3w
PastorTheDJ ft. Mthandazo Gatya & DJ Vitoto • Thandaza (Remix)

"Devotion" by the same threesome is very good too.

this is killer too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOYotbZRsc4
MalumNator ft. De Mthuda & Ntokzin • Umfaz'Wephepha

the highlight from MalumNator's excellent Moya Wam album

that’s Felix Laband • Whistling In Tongues, from 2002.

I've been curiously obsessed with this hugely underrated and unnoticed record for well over a decade and had no idea he was from SA! Was NOT expecting to see something from Dark Days Exit in here

Great thread---and since somebody cited older music way upstream, I'll mention The National Wake, whose 2013 "complete works? (14 tracks) reissue I mentioned in Pazz & Jop ballot notes:
National Wake---Walk In Africa 1979-1980: Music made by young South Africans, of various RSA racial classifications: punk-funk-reggae-dub, reminding me of Australia's Us Mob, No Fixed Address, Coloured Stone, early live Police, some of Tom Robinson's combos, Bad Brains kinda. The finale, a dub workout, is over 17 min long, like over three times as long as any other, but despite my habitual editorial fantasies, wouldn't part with a particle so far. Would have Top Tenned this set, but already got all those reissues on there already….
Backstory, doc excerpt* and reissue still here:
https://lightintheattic.net/releases/923-walk-in-africa-1979-81

*from the doc Punk In Africa, which incl. a lot of other artists def. worth checking

And from 2020 Uproxx ballot notes*:
Someone suggested that I check out Azana, a young "house and soul" singer, as he puts it, from Durban. Here's a good -sounding playlist, all from her current album, Ingoma, I think--might seem a bit ballad-y at first, but mostly of a smooth pulsation, luxury class but never wasteful---or wasted, alas; I wouldn't something a little less reasonable, but she's as good, as that gets. Relatively mainstream "Your Love" is even a fave---first single, and I totally get that, ditto the plainer version of "Goodbye," but most faves make more overt use of "ethnic" elements, like

the other version of "Goodbye," feat. Just Bheki and Afriikan Papi, and another fave, "Uthando Lwangemela" (that might be my No.1), also "Silekelela", with 0 guests listed. Ditto the mystique of "Egoli," wiith clipped accents drawing catchy verses around the sidewalk, then chorus stretching some syllables toward dreamtime--here's the playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgV3lUftsRbYnDhoIIwZoqvIfFN4gOYkF

And one of several not on the list, v. catchy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCml8NfC8I

There's also a live at the Redbox set, where she performs the whole album, apparently, haven;t listened to that yet (several African artists with vids from the Redbox, I see) (Oh also on the list: "Lovers and Best Friends," feat. Disciples of House.)

Someone in YT comments: "If she were Anita Baker or Sade, people would be raving." Yeah, she's in there between them, straightfowardly drawn to something beyond (moments, milestones, pleasures, satisfactions, becoming actual happiness?), via her own way, becoming more and visible.
*orig. from her thread:

Azana - Ingoma

the anita and sade comparisons feel so clumsy to me for such light music (no pejorative intended in 'light')

anyway im obsessed with this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uNMkL1InEg
blaqnick and masterblaq - the whistling man feat. uncle jo

whoa. it's right there in the title and yet something about the sound still took me by surprise

FYI: the TNS album is finally out - it’s a 30-track double album called Phupholetu. needless to say, I haven’t listened to it yet, but there should be plenty of goodness on there.

FYI as in public service announcement, I might add

And if you have any doubt that it's a competition, you have Prince Kaybee's new album which manages to be 2 minutes longer in just 24 tracks.

yeah "getting late" is amazing ... the structure of the track almost treats her vocals like a sample but there's some very pop about it also, i think it's a really cool combo

in this interview producer Kooldrink talks about wanting to make an amapiano track with the structure and the vocals of what he calls “a normal radio song” (from 5’35 minutes in)

”Getting Late” has a UK pop garage vibe for me - I can hear garage (of the “Do You Mind” kind) in Boohle’s vocal for Busta 929’s “Ekseni” too, but that one also recalls 80s Chicago house a lot, I feel.

xps

yes, it can’t be a coincidence that TNS and former employer and current rival Prince Kaybee dropped their new albums on the same day.

when it comes to chart performance, Kaybee blows TNS out of the water, but that TNS album is absolutely fantastic. there’s the 10 tracks he released in the past 9 months, post-album number one, but the 20 new ones are equally good. they’re all cut from the same cloth, a quite different, much cleaner and sparser sound than on the first album, where he sounded like a next-generation Heavy K, but every next track sounds exciting and fresh.

have only listened to a couple of the Kaybee tracks yet, but TNS-less Kaybee often leans towards afrotech, which is my least favourite of the SA house genres. I like “Menateng”, his track with Aymos and Black Motion tho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM8OFcFaEC4

Busta 929 dropped his first (8-track) solo album (that is, without Mr JazziQ) this Friday as well btw (it’s called Undisputed).

Busta 929 and Mr JazziQ, together and separately, have been dominating the SA charts with their productions this year so far like Kabza (with or without Maphorisa) did a year ago.

"getting late" is the best song ever

wow "getting late" is so good. i found an interview where tyla says she's been working more with kooldrink so i'm looking forward to more like it to come from them

very impressed with the somber/solemn new Semi Tee. great percussion as usual:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqddmF7M8FA
Semi Tee ft. MDU aka TRP & Sir Trill • Lomshini

(Sir Trill proving once again why he is one of the hot vocalists right now)

just noticed it’s actually a Semi x MDU coproduction, from a forthcoming project of theirs

now, I could post all the good tracks on the TNS album, or I could link the new NaakMusiQ single as a shortcut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcWUWwpmIho
NaakMusiQ ft. TNS & Bluelle • Ntokazi

(this one actually has a bit more of the oomph of the earlier TNS stuff)

Following that trill I found that his songs with Stoa Mattrix (who gave us Uthando last year) are a perfect combination. His vocals are really close to Samthing Soweto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-lntx6Jdl0
Soa Mattrix - Pula (feat. Sir Trill)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BDoL_wzSJU
Soa Mattrix - Stoko (feat. Sir Trill)

I love that baby-rocking end of the Amapiano sound.

“Pula” especially is lovely. Mashudu (who I hadn’t heard before, she’s on several other tracks of the Soa Mattrix album) is good on it too.

Sir Trill with Da Muziqal Chef is a good combination too, I find. Mdoovar’s “Uyalazi Piano”, one of my favourite “eMcimbini” slipstream hits last year, was my introduction to that combo.

Another long one, chill and elegant, free. Wonderful keys, and I like the raw group vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUJzC0fWXCI
Kwiish SA - LiYoshona (feat. Njelic, Malumnator, De Mthuda)

That's my favorite of the year so far.

Tyla was 17 last year and going to high school. Cute accent too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC5oY4WEiDM

that interview was posted upthread earlier

FYI- Awesome Tapes from Africa pr email excerpt

By popular demand, we are releasing Teno Afrika’s incredible Amapiano Selections on LP and CD on Friday.

He compiled a very compelling DJ mix surveying the quickly-emerging amapiano sub-style Skrr Gong, which he says everyone is going nuts over at the moment.

Teno Afrika's new mix comes out in anticipation of the LP and CD release of Amapiano Selections which has received considerable praise from fans and press around the world since its digital release late last year

on youtube already
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSzquyPtCVg

what is skrr gong

great mix

didn't expect to hear "sonini" in there lol

Balance some of us real quick wats dis skrr gong all about? pic.twitter.com/ncHSNlaD1b

— TAKA LIMI🇮🇹 (@mellowzr) January 24, 2019

Skrr gong is also a song and now a record label too

skrr gong, look what the cat brought in – it’s some tracks that have made my March so far:

Bassie ft. Boohle & T-Man SA • Sizani: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFo9VWOttiw
(Bassie is the voice on MFR Souls’ fabulous “Bathandwa”, see upthread. she has now become The Voice of the spectacularly good “Sizani”)

Felo Le Tee ft. Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa & Mark Khoza • Duduzane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjlYvTMNJ2c
(Felo Le Tee’s Paradise album is worth checking out, just clock the features there!)

Tendaness ft. JoJo • Uthando Lwakho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74gSZROYUWc
(Tendaness is from eSwatini/Swaziland. his “Jika” from 2017 is a gem)

T-Percx & Vusinator ft. Assert, King Monopoly & Rising Blaqstar • Shela ntombi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krL4IXC6cZ0
(it’s that fingerlickingly good 'n groovy stuff)

Mr JazziQ ft. Kabza De Small, Boohle & Lady Du • Woza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgibR8NXfE
(onwards from “Ekseni”)

Q-LV ft. BosPianii • Wena Fela: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN_0hb3WmKo
(BosPianii is the producer of one of amapiano’s first mainstream hits, KayGee DaKing & Bizizi’s “Kokota”. this is not that, but it’s achingly beautiful. make yours its first YouTube view!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyhq8GJJPQA
Kamo Mphela - Nkulunkulu (new EP out in April)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s96A1W6J840
Boohle feat. Busta 929, Reece Madlisa, Zuma) - Hamba Nobani

I love the ability of Busta 929 to surprise and do counter-intuitive things in a genre that is so enclosed, even if that's considerably less true of Hamba Nobani compared to his previous work and another one of his latest, Phola.

I think I've come to see Amapiano as a sort of hermetic art that must sound quite opaque or navel-gazing to new audience, if only because of the similar developments and long track time. Probably one thing that Nigeria and the occasional Getting Late can help with. But maybe that's just the story with electronic music.

here is your thread companion - a Spotify playlist with (almost) everything posted in this thread as well as South(ern) African tracks posted on other threads:

ILM rolling 🇿🇦 Mzansi MusiQ 2021 🇸🇿 🇳🇦

re-upping two broken links:

DJ Obza ft. Nkosazana & Dj Freetz • Dlozi’lam / Idlozi Lami

Kelvin Momo ft. Sino Msolo & Souloho • Madlamini
(this one has been removed from Spotify unfortunately, so it's not on the playlist)

gosh "idlozi lami" is so incredible, definitely one of my favorites so far this year. honestly, there's been a lot of great amapiano this year. i don't know if i'm just hearing more stuff at that level because i'm paying more attention now or if it's just a strong period for the genre lately

(i am definitely paying more consistent attention than i used to)

amapiano has been going from strength to strength for the two years since it entered the SA mainstream.

I’m pretty sure that if you’re loving this year’s output you’ll find lots and lots to love in 2020 and 2019 amapiano as well

Tresor has a fantastic album out with Kabza & Maphorisa - get thee to the Tresor thread!

another slightly unexpected teamup: Makhadzi joins forces with Mlindo the Vocalist on the very pretty "Mjolo":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U4S6FxVh3E

quite disappointed by the new Semi Tee album with MDU a.k.a TRP. it’s that tech thing again I’m afraid, which is what MDU brings to the table. hope this is a one-time collab.

for a dense sound that’s actually thrilling instead of kinda boring I guess the new Team Mosha album might be the way to go, if their current hit is any indication:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMW3mL1qDzw
Team Mosha ft. Mapara A Jazz & Colano • Phuzi Mali Yakho

some great *dense* jams on the Team Mosha album, but they said to expect the unexpected:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4JPlSyjgPQ
Team Mosha ft. Shimza & Twist • Shugela

beautiful.

tip if you're in the mood for more beautiful amapiano: the Soa Mattrix album Sounds of Africa. Nabozo posted some tracks upthread.

What does "dense" mean in this context?

it's these previous Semi Tee tracks that prompted me to reach for that description a year ago on the Amapiano thread:

For all fans of "Labantwana Ama Uber" and/or "Lorch":

Semi Tee ft. Ma Lemon • Lemonade

and/or

Semi Tee ft. Miano, Kammu Dee & Ora Dee • Gabadiya

"Gabadiya" in particular is **dense** and there are some percussive things going on in both of these that seem new in amapiano.

― breastcrawl, maandag 2 maart 2020 20:13

*dense* is the word. I have not quite warmed to these yet but I believe I'm on my way.

― human and working on getting beer (longneck), donderdag 5 maart 2020 22:49

also:

Dense, Dense, Dense (Yebo, Yebo, Yebo):

Semi Tee ft. Kammu Dee & Njelic • Stayla

― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), vrijdag 12 juni 2020 20:07

I guess for me it means layer upon relentless heavy synth layer every which way you look or listen, combined with that hard-hitting bottom end - for me this is where amapiano (which is often quite floaty/light on the top end) comes closest to gqom soundwise

Ah, thanks, I hear what you mean on "Gabadiya", and maybe also "Madibuseng", which both definitely have a different low end...

oh yeah, those famous bottom and top-end theories...

*bangs head on desk*

the welcome return of King Monada, one of *the* voices of Limpopo - playing this on a loop rn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX_i2yatoMM
King Monada ft. Mack Eaze, TNS & Leon Lee • Ngifuna Yakho

(and hey, it's TNS involved in an amapiano track!)

also loving this live performance of Kwiish SA's "LiYoshona", one of the songs of the year:

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

Njelic and MalumNator on vocals.