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)
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:28 (three months ago) link
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=AagjAUE8U8sBlaq Diamond • SummerYoMuthi
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:29 (three months ago) link
huge amapiano track, not (yet?) on Spotify/etc for some reason:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2oUtIhSX00DJ 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=5etyYdRRCBoDJ Obza ft. Leon Lee • Mang’ Dakiwe
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:31 (three months ago) link
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=gb77lccDHKoDJ 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/
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:32 (three months ago) link
...and I'm also loving this track at the moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb2HYdZMaGQDJ Luvas ft. Mnisi • Egoli
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:33 (three months ago) link
so much for me for now - what are your favs of the moment?
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Monday, 11 January 2021 21:36 (three months ago) link
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
― but also fuck you (unperson), Monday, 11 January 2021 22:33 (three months ago) link
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
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 11 January 2021 22:45 (three months ago) link
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.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 10:06 (three months ago) link
Egad, I was wrong! Well, I guess that's why it's a good idea to have one thread instead of half a dozen.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:02 (three months ago) link
Jazz makes sense since it's such a big part of the SA music mindset, imo. Very happy about this thread in general.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:29 (three months ago) link
JazziDisciples to thread!
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 13:36 (three months ago) link
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
― but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 19:17 (three months ago) link
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
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 19:44 (three months ago) link
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.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 23:14 (three months ago) link
this thread sure got off to an unexpected start - not complaining tho!
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 12 January 2021 23:17 (three months ago) link
^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.
― rob, Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:24 (three months ago) link
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.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:34 (three months ago) link
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
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 14:40 (three months ago) link
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.🔺🔺
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 15:38 (three months ago) link
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
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 15:46 (three months ago) link
(btw some ilxors might be interested to learn that that Laband track also received the Todd Terje remix treatment)
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 13 January 2021 16:05 (three months ago) link
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=kMeb01inrCATNS ft. Nokwazi Mtshali & Nomcebo Mthethwa • Kwamashu
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Friday, 15 January 2021 15:03 (three months ago) link
The DJ Obza album (it’s called Masego and features “Mang’ Dakiwe” but not “Dlozi’lam”) is very good.
― partyin' maskless with Rudy G. and Vanilla Ice, it's a gas gas gas (breastcrawl), Saturday, 16 January 2021 23:24 (two months ago) link
Since we accept jazz, let's also accept r&b. This song from last year is quite magnetic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEWCJc1atvcElaine - You're the One
― Nabozo, Sunday, 17 January 2021 11:10 (two months ago) link
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.
― The return of our beloved potatoes (the table is the table), Sunday, 24 January 2021 19:32 (two months ago) link
ooh that TNS track breastcrawl posted is really cool
― rob, Sunday, 24 January 2021 21:05 (two months ago) link
There's a clip for Makazi
In case you're interested to hear the follow-up to Dumelang, here's Nobody
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 19:33 (two months ago) link
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.
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 2 February 2021 20:16 (two months ago) link
oh yeah, I like Boohle!
admire this beautiful piano with a Sun-El extension:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwF9S59F4IIKelvin Momo ft. Sino Msolo & Souloho • Madlamini
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 5 February 2021 12:21 (two months ago) link
that's really nice
― rob, Friday, 5 February 2021 16:24 (two months ago) link
might be my favourite song of the year so far, just so carefree and beautiful
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 5 February 2021 16:27 (two months ago) link
I need to revisit it with much better speakers, but yeah it's cool to see 'piano done so gracefully
― rob, Friday, 5 February 2021 16:32 (two months ago) link
luv 2 start threads at the worst possible time: TRESOR, the Congolese-South African singer with the heavenly voice
― rob, Saturday, 6 February 2021 15:26 (two months ago) link
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.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 6 February 2021 20:22 (two months ago) link
RIP. I had never listened to her before. Definitely old school, impressive voice.
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 20:50 (two months ago) link
someone has been watching "Jerusalema" blowing up worldwide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcLM3brK16oDJ Cleo ft. Bucy Radebe • Gcina Impilo Yam
it's actually an amapiano rework of this recent gospel smash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RpnvLCgED8Bucy 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)
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 21:03 (two months ago) link
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-Wuqda9d8Bee 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
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 7 February 2021 21:56 (two months ago) link
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=ijHEvvDKAZAMr JazziQ & Busta 929 - Ekseni feat. Boohle SA & Zuma
It's worth checking Vsop which is fascinatinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSKKAw024fsMr 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
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 20:56 (two months ago) link
The album, Maba Jabul’abantu, is really uncharted territory.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 21:04 (two months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryJjULFAqukReece Madlisa & Zuma - Sithi Sithi
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 10 February 2021 21:25 (two months ago) link
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)
― dyl, Monday, 15 February 2021 00:00 (two months ago) link
good morning!
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 15 February 2021 08:26 (two months ago) link
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=0dqr1n2a7VkTNS - Umhlaba Wonke
― Nabozo, Monday, 15 February 2021 21:02 (two months ago) link
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)
― dyl, Tuesday, 16 February 2021 04:38 (one month ago) link
Baby Are You Coming? for the pandemic era:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGUjtcUF70SHELOVESKAMO ft. Ch'cco & Crush • You My Baby
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 16 February 2021 22:16 (one month ago) link
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
― ufo, Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:35 (one month ago) link
Jersualema never did much for me, but wow at "Gcina Impilo Yam" !
― rob, Wednesday, 17 February 2021 13:31 (one month ago) link
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
― That's not really my scene (I'm 41) (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 18 February 2021 16:31 (one month ago) link
what a skeleton move
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 18 February 2021 17:01 (one month ago) link
More great vocals by Mthandazo Gatya:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ESyyt4Q3wPastorTheDJ ft. Mthandazo Gatya & DJ Vitoto • Thandaza (Remix)
"Devotion" by the same threesome is very good too.
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 28 February 2021 16:57 (one month ago) link
this is killer too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOYotbZRsc4MalumNator ft. De Mthuda & Ntokzin • Umfaz'Wephepha
the highlight from MalumNator's excellent Moya Wam album
― Long Tall Arsetee & the Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 28 February 2021 17:06 (one month ago) link
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
― octobeard, Sunday, 28 February 2021 17:16 (one month ago) link
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
― dow, Sunday, 28 February 2021 22:09 (one month ago) link
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
― dow, Sunday, 28 February 2021 22:17 (one month ago) link
the anita and sade comparisons feel so clumsy to me for such light music (no pejorative intended in 'light')
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Friday, 5 March 2021 04:52 (one month ago) link
anyway im obsessed with this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uNMkL1InEgblaqnick and masterblaq - the whistling man feat. uncle jo
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Friday, 5 March 2021 04:53 (one month ago) link
whoa. it's right there in the title and yet something about the sound still took me by surprise
― dyl, Friday, 5 March 2021 07:35 (one month ago) link
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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 5 March 2021 08:25 (one month ago) link
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.
― Nabozo, Monday, 8 March 2021 18:12 (one month ago) link
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
― J0rdan S., Monday, 8 March 2021 18:16 (one month ago) link
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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 8 March 2021 20:46 (one month ago) link
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
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 8 March 2021 20:54 (one month ago) link
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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 8 March 2021 21:03 (one month ago) link
"getting late" is the best song ever
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 11 March 2021 03:54 (one month ago) link
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
― ufo, Thursday, 11 March 2021 04:07 (one month ago) link
very impressed with the somber/solemn new Semi Tee. great percussion as usual:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqddmF7M8FASemi Tee ft. MDU aka TRP & Sir Trill • Lomshini
(Sir Trill proving once again why he is one of the hot vocalists right now)
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 12 March 2021 19:02 (one month ago) link
just noticed it’s actually a Semi x MDU coproduction, from a forthcoming project of theirs
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 12 March 2021 19:07 (one month ago) link
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=VcWUWwpmIhoNaakMusiQ ft. TNS & Bluelle • Ntokazi(this one actually has a bit more of the oomph of the earlier TNS stuff)
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 12 March 2021 19:30 (one month ago) link
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-lntx6Jdl0Soa Mattrix - Pula (feat. Sir Trill)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BDoL_wzSJUSoa Mattrix - Stoko (feat. Sir Trill)
I love that baby-rocking end of the Amapiano sound.
― Nabozo, Saturday, 13 March 2021 16:00 (one month ago) link
“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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 13 March 2021 17:41 (one month ago) link
Another long one, chill and elegant, free. Wonderful keys, and I like the raw group vocals.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUJzC0fWXCIKwiish SA - LiYoshona (feat. Njelic, Malumnator, De Mthuda)
― Nabozo, Sunday, 14 March 2021 11:43 (one month ago) link
That's my favorite of the year so far.
― Nabozo, Sunday, 14 March 2021 11:54 (one month ago) link
Tyla was 17 last year and going to high school. Cute accent too.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC5oY4WEiDM
― Nabozo, Sunday, 14 March 2021 15:23 (one month ago) link
that interview was posted upthread earlier
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 14 March 2021 15:28 (one month ago) link
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
― curmudgeon, Monday, 15 March 2021 18:39 (one month ago) link
on youtube alreadyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSzquyPtCVg
what is skrr gong
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Monday, 15 March 2021 18:41 (one month ago) link
great mix
didn't expect to hear "sonini" in there lol
― dyl, Tuesday, 16 March 2021 03:24 (four weeks ago) link
Balance some of us real quick wats dis skrr gong all about? pic.twitter.com/ncHSNlaD1b— TAKA LIMI🇮🇹 (@mellowzr) January 24, 2019
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 17 March 2021 17:26 (four weeks ago) link
Skrr gong is also a song and now a record label too
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 18 March 2021 12:47 (four weeks ago) link
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!)
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Sunday, 21 March 2021 16:46 (three weeks ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyhq8GJJPQAKamo Mphela - Nkulunkulu (new EP out in April)
― Nabozo, Saturday, 27 March 2021 16:03 (two weeks ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s96A1W6J840Boohle 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.
― Nabozo, Friday, 2 April 2021 12:51 (one week ago) link
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.
― Nabozo, Friday, 2 April 2021 12:58 (one week ago) link
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 🇸🇿 🇳🇦
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 5 April 2021 20:09 (one week ago) link
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)
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 5 April 2021 20:12 (one week ago) link
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
― dyl, Monday, 5 April 2021 20:31 (one week ago) link
(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
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 5 April 2021 20:56 (one week ago) link
Tresor has a fantastic album out with Kabza & Maphorisa - get thee to the Tresor thread!
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 9 April 2021 21:58 (six days ago) link
another slightly unexpected teamup: Makhadzi joins forces with Mlindo the Vocalist on the very pretty "Mjolo":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U4S6FxVh3E
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 9 April 2021 22:06 (six days ago) link
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=UMW3mL1qDzwTeam Mosha ft. Mapara A Jazz & Colano • Phuzi Mali Yakho
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 10 April 2021 11:09 (five days ago) link
some great *dense* jams on the Team Mosha album, but they said to expect the unexpected:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4JPlSyjgPQTeam 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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 10 April 2021 19:42 (five days ago) link
What does "dense" mean in this context?
― glenn mcdonald, Sunday, 11 April 2021 00:54 (four days ago) link
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 • Lemonadeand/orSemi 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
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
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
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:03 (two days ago) link
Ah, thanks, I hear what you mean on "Gabadiya", and maybe also "Madibuseng", which both definitely have a different low end...
― glenn mcdonald, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:30 (two days ago) link
oh yeah, those famous bottom and top-end theories... *bangs head on desk*
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:42 (two days ago) link
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_i2yatoMMKing Monada ft. Mack Eaze, TNS & Leon Lee • Ngifuna Yakho
(and hey, it's TNS involved in an amapiano track!)
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 14 April 2021 18:39 (yesterday) link
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.
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 14 April 2021 21:20 (yesterday) link