MZANSI MUZIQ 2021 🇿🇦 Rolling South Africa thread

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.

no, you've never heard it all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrrIxmE1htU
Vico Da Sporo ft. Sibusiso Makhoba • When I Meet Unobuhle

feel i did my myself a real disservice by never listening to the four (!) albums Vico released last year in full.

the full version, because you need all 5 minutes and 31 seconds of this

not sure about the context here:

Not in my wildest dreams have i ever thought this could happen, Bandlase omkhulu 😭.

Thank you to @Usher his team for the recognition on our song Luthando.

Soulgiftedmusic Rec.
🙌🙏And thank you for supporting us. pic.twitter.com/Fum0AuUwyf

— Vico da sporo (@Vicodasporo) March 4, 2021