I have to say, it would help if the vast majority of ama tracks weren't by a list of artists as long as my arm. I know that's a big ask, but How am I supposed to remember "Hamba Nobani by Boohle, Busta 929, Reece Madiisa and Zuma", let alone shout it in someone's ear when they ask what it is on acrowded dancefloor ;-)
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 13:36 (one year ago) link
you could just go by the way I labelled them in the options menu 🤷🏻♂️
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 13:41 (one year ago) link
True, I think it's just cos I normally look at them on Spotify which makes it look like there's a LOT going on
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 13:51 (one year ago) link
there’s a PIANO RIOT going on!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 14:27 (one year ago) link
I have to say, (and this is typical of me), I do love the ama tracks with fricking massive rolling bassy logdrum workouts like Lerato La Bass, John Vulli Gate and 9 Days
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 14:35 (one year ago) link
xp dog latin, you can always shorthand it as title/producer or title/lead vocalist, which is what i do
― i cannot help if you made yourself not funny (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 14:42 (one year ago) link
Excellent thread! Bravo, and thanks for giving us ample time to explore the selections. Amapiano is getting some love in Atlanta these days. I haven’t made it to a club night yet, DJ Lag sadly had to cancel his scheduled gig.
― recovering internet addict/shitposter (viborg), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:12 (one year ago) link
Yes! Thank you for this!
I have lots of listening to do before casting vote.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:34 (one year ago) link
Popping out of lurkerdom to thank you for this, breastcrawl.
― etc, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 21:44 (one year ago) link
happy to help to delurk, etc. immerse yourself and enjoy!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 07:27 (one year ago) link
this is a high value poll that i'm looking forward to participating in.
― (grim) pump track (wales) (map), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 14:50 (one year ago) link
I am three tracks into this playlist and have hit the spotify heart thing twice. Thanks for organizing!
― Indexed, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 15:27 (one year ago) link
Cheers, breastcrawl! I definitely got overwhelmed by this scene and gave up on following it, so this is a much-appreciated intervention. When I gripe about track/album lengths, ultimately it's because I know I'm missing good stuff and it's aggravating.
I think I've liked every Vigro Deep track I've ever heard, though I don't know anything about...him/her/them? I love how SA house always has room to basically just be jazz for a few minutes.
― rob, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 15:41 (one year ago) link
I feel you there rob. Luckily I've noticed a lot of tracks these days seem to be a little shorter. That said, there is an undeniable uniformity within the style that means it can take a short while for a track to kick in and become itself. I also find it's quite rare for a tune to reveal itself as a classic on the very first listen - usually takes a couple of listens but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 16:32 (one year ago) link
Enjoying "Qo Qo Qo" today and "Bathini" (the latter is reminding me of Soul II Soul or Masters At Work for some reason).
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 16:44 (one year ago) link
not to distract from the banquet of this poll, but the recent Kabza album, KOA II Part 1, bc has mentioned here and there did sound rather good when I gave it half a listen (actually more like 10% of a listen, but it's 130 minutes long!)
― rob, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 16:51 (one year ago) link
there’s two KOA II tracks in this poll
I love how SA house always has room to basically just be jazz for a few minutes
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 20:48 (one year ago) link
the latter is reminding me of Soul II Soul or Masters At Work for some reason).
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 20:59 (one year ago) link
this stuff all starts with a similar loop and then gets under your skin, doesn't it
― StanM, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 22:53 (one year ago) link
Yep yep yep
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Thursday, 8 September 2022 07:50 (one year ago) link
in the light of current events, we have seen fit to ordain a 64-day amapiano listening period, lasting until the 12th day of November. you may start your session now. long live the kings and queens of piano!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 10 September 2022 07:14 (one year ago) link
I played Lerato La Bass by Teno Afrika at my little pub gig last night and was surprised to have someone come up and tell me it was their favourite tune. My co-DJ who wasn't familiar with amapiano was also interested and asked if it was UK funky
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Saturday, 10 September 2022 08:34 (one year ago) link
a lot of bangers from 2019 on Vol 1 of this compilation too ("Amapiano Is A Lifestyle") : more instrumentals & less loungey than 2022, maybe?
https://open.spotify.com/album/4kT9zRCiOmBRiZj8gFcuVx
― StanM, Saturday, 10 September 2022 17:56 (one year ago) link
Vol.2 2020
https://open.spotify.com/album/47MC1i2wbd9e5wmEmgyGcx
― StanM, Saturday, 10 September 2022 18:21 (one year ago) link
^ maybe this is indicative of the evolution towards today's sound?
― StanM, Saturday, 10 September 2022 18:56 (one year ago) link
more instrumentals & less loungey than 2022, maybe? maybe this is indicative of the evolution towards today's sound?
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Monday, 12 September 2022 10:02 (one year ago) link
Great, thank you for that.
― StanM, Monday, 12 September 2022 12:27 (one year ago) link
so… has anyone discovered any new favourites yet?
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 15 September 2022 14:58 (one year ago) link
Still making my way through all of these!
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 15 September 2022 14:59 (one year ago) link
keep us posted if you like - would be nice!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Thursday, 15 September 2022 15:11 (one year ago) link
I have to go to those two compilations I linked to every now and then because the multiple vocalist/loungey tracks in the poll get a bit much after a while for my tastes - maybe I'm just too cheap & more into the easy bangers :-)
― StanM, Thursday, 15 September 2022 15:43 (one year ago) link
great list, thanks breastcrawlespecially loved "paris" and "feeling" on first listenwill put it on repeat this weekend
― nxd, Friday, 16 September 2022 10:13 (one year ago) link
Paris is such a banger.
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Saturday, 17 September 2022 09:16 (one year ago) link
Yep 'Paris' is a highlight for me as well ('Feeling' too), think I'm going to vote for 'Crush Yam' though.
― Gavin, Leeds, Saturday, 17 September 2022 09:19 (one year ago) link
So far leaning towards voting “Uzozisola” by Mas Musiq or “Risasekile” by Aymos, but really there are at least six others I'm really enjoying and playing a lot
great thread
― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 17 September 2022 13:46 (one year ago) link
looks like the Aymos (singer) and Mas Musiq (producer) combo is your thing, PP! they have done plenty more stuff together
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 17 September 2022 14:14 (one year ago) link
Ah, cool! I'm gonna investigate further. I think I am gravitating, probably predictably, to the house-ier sounding stuff. I'm gonna check out Auti 'eSharp next.
― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 17 September 2022 15:08 (one year ago) link
good choice! last year’s Aymos album Yimi Lo is also very good
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 17 September 2022 15:24 (one year ago) link
I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon this thread. This music is very exciting to me. Prior to this, my only exposure to even the word amapiano was that Teno Afrika LP, which I love, but it sounds like the style has evolved a lot since then. breastcrawl, would you say this is accurate?
― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 17 September 2022 16:07 (one year ago) link
I’m happy this thread is making you happy! it’s just the piano way.short answer to your question: see my post of five days ago - but I intend to reply more extensively when I have more time
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 17 September 2022 20:34 (one year ago) link
Ah, cool. Sorry, I thought I read this entire thread but somehow missed that bit about Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa and Scorpion Kings. There's so much to explore here.
― Paul Ponzi, Sunday, 18 September 2022 12:05 (one year ago) link
deffo also more on the banger side of love for this genre but Crush Yam is SO GREAT. still got a ton more listening to do...
― stirmonster, Monday, 19 September 2022 17:21 (one year ago) link
so.... who or what is GABOR ? it's being shouted in at least two songs ("Baby Are You Coming" by ZERO12FINEST feat. THAMAGNIFICENT2, from another thread) and Eningi from this list too
― StanM, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 15:00 (one year ago) link
https://play-lh.googleusercontent.com/Yhe4i6VYB_SIJRg1DW69ui8OzeQJNAKelKXuXqpEgFkvJkXCHk8yNJ_7vvCGwR4ZwOIhttps://media.s-bol.com/x20wMMj1Vopr/G5z7XPr/1200x1187.jpghttps://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQf32nn9Yn-GBM4ouBSPkv21Thm1n6YO7Yljw&usqp=CAU
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 20 September 2022 15:11 (one year ago) link
‘Yebo!’ is the isiZulu word for yesssss!
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 20 September 2022 15:12 (one year ago) link
oooh! thank!
― StanM, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 16:01 (one year ago) link
Paris is such a rip off from LiYoshona ! Haha. I guess it tells something about Amapiano that they're like two sides (one smooth, on raw) of the same collective-minded coin.
This is a cool exercise, you could easily redo it with another cool set of 27 songs. I'm not sure if breastcrawl set a specific timeframe for this, 2021-22 ? I think I knee-jerk voted for Mmapula whose long icy atmospheric layers stand out in any playlist (another pair here with Isphithiphithi), but I've also fallen behind quite badly. Recent Amapiano songs I've played a lot are Ngixolele (Busta 929), Kancane (Musa Keys), SETE (K.O), Sengizwile (Mas Musiq).
― Nabozo, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 16:52 (one year ago) link
listened right through. lots of it is way too lounge/ soulful for me but i would buy / play these ones in a shot -
“Crush Yam” by T-Man“Gijima (Vocal Mix)” by DJ Black Low - the only one I knew already.Jozi Night” by GemValleyMusiQ“Korobela” by DJ Sumbody“Trigger” by DJ KarriXigubhu” by Welle SA“Ziwa Ngale” by Kabza De Small
first thought still the best thought so gonna vote “Crush Yam” by T-Man.
thanks for this!
― stirmonster, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 17:44 (one year ago) link
my father had some imported "learn zulu" tapes in the days prior to apartheid that he got to better understand some of the iscathamiya tracks he had on heavy repeat but they appeared to be entirely for afrikaners to communicate with the help more effectively. the main thing that stuck was "yebo mama"/"yebo baba" which became shorthand around the house.
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 21 September 2022 19:26 (one year ago) link
Okay Paris is pretty incredible.
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 21 September 2022 20:11 (one year ago) link
two recent darkish instrumental tracks that either use the same sample/loop/beat or one is sampling the other:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT9xX42qSD0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak3kOIVdOpE
― StanM, Saturday, 21 January 2023 18:17 (one year ago) link
(the second one was uploaded a month ago, the first one a week ago, for the record)
― StanM, Saturday, 21 January 2023 18:18 (one year ago) link
those are:De Tories • Pekhashinand Sello SA Mollo • Mozolo Move(please label the tracks you post, for future reference and suchlike)
― the shaker intro bit the shaker outro in the tail, hard (breastcrawl), Saturday, 21 January 2023 18:54 (one year ago) link
oh yes, sorry about that
― StanM, Saturday, 21 January 2023 19:25 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubmGgKhaRIc
Kukzer Wadi Piano ft. Mellow & Sleazy • No Mystery
― StanM, Sunday, 22 January 2023 08:19 (one year ago) link
really looking forward to getting down to this banger at the next piano club gathering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz_eUYaNaVMMellow & Sleazy ft. Mxrcus • Mozambique Amapiano
(fwiw the track has been removed from Spotify since I listened to it again this morning)
― i saw mommy kissing twink henry kissinger (breastcrawl), Friday, 10 February 2023 16:18 (one year ago) link
listening to some of the new tracks on Spotify’s Amapiano Grooves playlist after a short piano hiatus tonight and everything is sounding amazing: Pcee x Mr JazziQ x ZanTen ft. papi_sa • Johnny ke Johnny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPnZiPRvqbgFreddy K ft. Marsey, MhawKeys & Nhanhla The Guitarist • Ngisenalo U’thando: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQvpKY31-vsBassie ft. Soa Mattrix & Happy Jazzman • Thandumuntu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn4xOrAhrlA(this Bassie track is another addition to my playlist with piano jams that remind me of Kidnap (Kid)’s 2013 UK deep house classic (to me anyway) “Thin Lines” with Lottie.
― let us now celebrate ama ‘piano’ smith & the clowns (breastcrawl), Saturday, 18 February 2023 22:49 (one year ago) link
this is also great - the voices!Tyler ICU ft. Khanyisa, Tumelo_za & Tyrondee • Ngimoja: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQQ1jkjEOMc
― let us now celebrate ama ‘piano’ smith & the clowns (breastcrawl), Saturday, 18 February 2023 23:19 (one year ago) link
This Pcee guy is someone to watch out for. I will return to Johnny ke Johnny for those keys that open it pensively for two minutes before it transforms into a more standard (but still nice) Amapiano track. I like that aspect of shifting styles that goes with the number of contributors. I think you also mentioned the peace-chaos dynamic when Asijabule placed in the top77.
Bassie also nice with more demure female vocals, another recent innovation I like (that sounds very patriarchal lol). Ngimoja vocals also nice. Everything is nice.
― Nabozo, Sunday, 19 February 2023 12:37 (one year ago) link
always top notch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0dqaIvHCRUGemValleyMusiQ • Dlala Drumo (KingsOfRoughMusiQ)
― let us now celebrate ama ‘piano’ smith & the clowns (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 22 February 2023 09:40 (one year ago) link
i've been working my way through the album. there's an awful lot of it! digging it though.
― stirmonster, Wednesday, 22 February 2023 19:56 (one year ago) link
interesting piece on how amapiano (along with other forms of SA house) is reshaping the London club scene: https://mixmag.net/feature/london-afro-house-underground-movement-evolving-south-africa-amapiano-afro-tech-funky-interview
― let us now celebrate ama ‘piano’ smith & the clowns (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 1 March 2023 21:26 (one year ago) link
a South African beauty summit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Ex0RnPiuYNkosazana Daughter ft. Murumba Pitch, Master KG & Lowsheen • Ring Ring Ring
― let us now celebrate ama ‘piano’ smith & the clowns (breastcrawl), Friday, 3 March 2023 19:28 (one year ago) link
finally starting to see some of this stuff on Bandcamp!
https://pianohub.bandcamp.com/album/kopzz-avenue-for-your-ears-only-ep
― obsidian crocogolem (sleeve), Friday, 3 March 2023 20:08 (one year ago) link
I'm not usually one for whole amapiano albums by one artist but this one is pretty great: https://djblacklow-southafrica.bandcamp.com/album/impumelelo
― StanM, Monday, 20 March 2023 14:28 (one year ago) link
Oh, cool! On a cursory first spin of the first half it was sounding a bit generic to me compared to his debut. Must listen some more.
― Supposed Former ILM Lurker (WeWantMiles), Monday, 20 March 2023 16:36 (one year ago) link
i think it picks up later on, but only listened quickly over the weekend.
― stirmonster, Monday, 20 March 2023 17:25 (one year ago) link
the first couple of tracks are so-so to me, but then it gets a lot better
― StanM, Wednesday, 22 March 2023 15:57 (one year ago) link
oh hell yeah didn't realize there was a new dj black low album
― deadmauZedong (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 22 March 2023 16:39 (one year ago) link
Interested in the Black Low album but I wasn't especially moved by the promo track. I know it has its detractors but '9 Days' always got a great response from home crowds when I played it out so I'm hoping he does something similarly remarkable - I'm not asking for Skrillexy cross-over bangers so much as something to make it stand out
― the forces of darkness making making us laugh ourselves into DEATH?? (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2023 09:19 (one year ago) link
Okay, I'm definitely enjoying this so far
― the forces of darkness making making us laugh ourselves into DEATH?? (dog latin), Thursday, 23 March 2023 14:00 (one year ago) link
That's a good urban soundscape, could do with Focalistic but fine as it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXIqQq8sTxoShaunmusiq, Ftears, Xduppy (feat. Myztro, Mellow & Sleazy, Quayr Music, Matute Boy) - Bhebha
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 March 2023 19:19 (one year ago) link
Punishing and enveloping bass, cool percussion, bonus points for it sounding like they're saying Bieber
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 March 2023 19:33 (one year ago) link
So far, Sam Deep deserves every song of his posted and that means Impumelelo too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjxbWMOS_wSam Deep & Emoh feat Da Muziqal Chef - Impumelelo
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 March 2023 19:40 (one year ago) link
In Amapiano circles you win a game of chess when all other pieces than the king have been knocked down :D
― Nabozo, Sunday, 26 March 2023 19:44 (one year ago) link
this is nigerian but feels so ama informed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYC8Ru3v3pw
― xheugy eddy (D-40), Wednesday, 29 March 2023 22:38 (one year ago) link
I've been noticing there's one line that keeps coming back in SO many amapiano songs and after a couple attempts at writing it down and googling... "Ase Trap Ke Pina Tsa Ko Kasi" - still not sure if it's at least every track with/by/feat. Focalistic and/or Busta 929 - and there's a story too https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2021-03-25-listen--focalistic-reflects-on-how-saying-a-se-trap-ke-pina-tsa-ko-kasi-changed-his-life/
― StanM, Sunday, 9 April 2023 15:47 (one year ago) link
Reviving the thread, even though I am only now trying to catch up. Not a bad time to post Kilimanjaro after I hesitated to highlight it and in the meantime it has gained a lot of plays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NvTakC15GUPcee, Sgija'Disciples & Zan'Ten (feat. Justin99, Mema_percent, Mr Jazziq) - Kilimanjaro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZKYu8myqQYMellow & Sleazy & TmanXpress (feat. Keynote) - Kwelinye
― Nabozo, Saturday, 6 May 2023 14:05 (eleven months ago) link
Chley + a guy saying yayaya =
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqSuJyey7gkUncle Waffles, Tony Duardo & Justin99 feat. Pcee, EeQue, Chley - Yahyuppiyah
Let's pretend breastcrawl is still around and posted this some months ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9wscBKc1GELady Amar, JL SA, Cici & Murumba Pitch - Hamba Juba
Focalistic always bringing something fresh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4e3s0PKSFIFocalistic, Eeque & Thama Tee - Khekheleza (Dlala Dlala)
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 12 July 2023 10:02 (nine months ago) link
^The transverse flute is so out of place, and there are other weird sounds, and yet I think it works
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF6yO71AAYgPcee feat. Mr JazziQ, Umthakathi Kush, Sizwe Alakine - Ngenza ngama bomu
Pcee is one of those pure builders, heavy on atmosphere like Busta 929. His discography is pretty flawless so far (ZoTata, Johnny Ke Johnny, Kilimanjaro, Yahyuppiyah, this). The more I hear Amapiano sung by men, the closer I see the relation with hip hop (the dark jazzy minimalism, the rap-speak-singing MCs), only Amapiano does this abstract soundscaping. We get more women taking part in this style too, instead of sticking closer to house. Well, we've always said there were two Amapianos.
― Nabozo, Friday, 14 July 2023 15:37 (nine months ago) link
Made a playlist with my 25 fave Amapiano tracks this year : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3kHZeCc8BFVlh6pE53kIzu?si=4f4026a8fb41489c
― Jamie Harley, Wednesday, 13 December 2023 17:57 (four months ago) link
Thank you lots
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Thursday, 14 December 2023 00:47 (four months ago) link
I'd love an amapiano EOY poll for 2023 in this style if breastcrawl or someone would be willing to run it?
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Wednesday, 20 December 2023 16:18 (three months ago) link
Mnike is hard to best this year
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, 20 December 2023 20:45 (three months ago) link
https://davidbyrne.com/radio/david-byrne-radio-presents-south-africa-musical-powerhouse
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 2 January 2024 05:43 (three months ago) link
Mnike is fine but in no way my favourite this year
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 15:31 (three months ago) link
«fine» he said
― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 22:51 (three months ago) link