Bubblegum Club

Tag: durban

  • Bubblegum Club Mix Vol 17 by DJ Bigger

    Bubblegum Club Mix Vol 17 by DJ Bigger

    Can you tell us a bit about DJ Bigger?

    I, Makabongwe Nzuza, popularly known as “Dj Bigger” was born on the 6th of April in the Southern township of Durban – KwaMashu, M Section. I attended Sondelani Primary School in eNtuzuma, where I was a leader of an ‘’Isicathamiya” group, part of a gospel group as well as part of the school’s choir group. I then completed my junior studies at Eastberry Seconday School in Phoenix.

    My teenage years were filled with music in a very unbelievable way, so much that even the taxis I commuted in would blast music to school and back! Some of the joys of being born in the rhythmic land of KwaZulu Natal.

    Share more about your musical background – who or what sparked your interest in gqom?

    Growing up in the groovy, talent-filled, iconic township influenced my love for music as every second house in my neighbourhood played LOUD music, simultaneously and religiously each and every Friday; marking the beginning of the weekend and an end to a gruesome week for the working class.

    Not only that; but growing up, music was almost the only thing that brought “free” joy to people, its effectiveness in provoking happy feelings, thus creating memorable moments was fascinating.

    I started DJing in 2006 at private functions and then moved to club spaces where I realized that this is something I’m passionate about and was good at. In the year 2010 I then started to focus on building myself as a brand.

    How do you like to describe your sound?

    I would describe my sound as the township version of Electro Music. Gqom music is a very distinct sound that originates from the Township (Ekasi).

    Who are your musical influences?

    My late friend, DJ Deep, who was also my mentor, played a very big role in influencing and shaping my musical journey. I used to tag along whenever he went to deejay at events/private functions. Basically he is the one that taught me how to deejay. Currently, there are a lot of people that I look up to in the music industry, namely DJ Sox, DJ Tira, DJ Bongs, etc.

    What do you want to express with your music? What emotions should it evoke within the listener?

    I believe that music is universal. Though this is an African sound, I wish for people all over the world to be able to feel and express their feelings through the music that I share with them. I want people to dance and feel liberated.

    You are part of Miaso Studios. Please share more about it and your involvement?

    I grew my brand locally overtime and quickly became one of the most respected disc jocks amongst my peers. The group was started by DJ Deep. Along the way I started working with Dj Kaybee, Ayo and Tropika. Together we formed a music production conglomerate and called it “MIASCO FAM”.

    Why do you think gqom has become such a huge sound in SA, and subsequently, abroad?

    Gqom Music is a unique sound and I think its uniqueness is recognized by everyone across the globe.

    When did your partnership with FAKA begin and how is it going?

    I started working with the group FAKA last year (2017) in August. They got my details from Jamal. They contacted me and the rest was history. Currently it is going very well. We have great chemistry and share a similar love and passion for music. They are my chosen family.

    What are you working on at the moment?

    I have been touring with FAKA and currently working on new music that I’ll be releasing soon.

  • The Future is Now for Muzi

    The Future is Now for Muzi

    Muzi is the future and the future is now. With the release of Afrovision, Muzi, who has been producing bangers for a minute now, has gone from being an “act to watch” for those in the know locally and overseas to an absolute sensation both at home and abroad.

    A couple of years back, on this very site, I said that Muzi had the blueprint for success, and the proof is in the pudding. Sure, at the time he only had one booking, but 2 years later he’s on a tour that’s seen him “murk” (his word) Durban, Joburg, Falkirk, Glasgow, Lancashire, Milan, London, and Wiltshire. With Oppikoppi and Rocking The Daisies ahead of him. He’s stuck to his vision and is now reaping the rewards for years of hard work and self-discovery.

    To some, it might seem like Muzi has popped up out of nowhere because it takes the mainstream media and the public a while to catch on, but he’s already had a career that many artists would be jealous of. Major label releases, living in Berlin, making music with the likes of Damon Albarn, showing Stormzy around Durban, interviews and reviews on all the major international music sites, and a music catalogue that most producers are straight up jealous of.

    Despite all that, Muzi is a relatable guy. Through his social media, you get a feel for his playfulness, his mindfulness and his humility. And not humility the way rappers are “humble”, but you get a genuine sense that while Muzi takes his work and career seriously, he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

    While I’ve always found Muzi easy to relate to, his music didn’t resonate with audiences at home as much as it should have. Europeans were wilding out but Muzi was an underground fav in South Africa, that’s because the music he was making had African touches to western sounds. But with Afrovision, Muzi truly embraces his roots whilst creating something with global influence and reach. I personally consider Afrovision to be my album of the year. It just sounds perfect.

    After his stint in Berlin, it feels and sounds like Muzi has finally found his place back home. He might still be a bit of a misunderstood outcast, but he’s also someone who knows who he is, where he comes from, and where he wants to go.

    To listen to Afrovision click here.

  • Missu’s ‘An Education’ is the Soundtrack to your Next Summer

    Missu’s ‘An Education’ is the Soundtrack to your Next Summer

    Missu makes music for the summer. Feel-good synthy grooves that are just as much a jam cruising with the windows down or sweating it out on the jol. Which makes his debut EP ‘An Education’ well timed since it’ll take South Africans a month or 2 to pick up on the dopeness at hand.

    In a weird way, it reminds me of Gateway Drugs’ self-titled EP. Not that it sounds the same although there’s plenty of 80s pastiche weaved into ‘An Education’, but in that it’ll probably be the cult-hit soundtrack for those who find it. Those who do find it will love it and make it blow up amongst an ever-growing fan base. Missu is already a rather popular chap in Durban with his fun live shows that are just straight up impossible not to dance to. Both his energy and songs are infectious, the dude is a multi-instrumentalist who puts effort into making each live show a unique experience.

    ‘An Education’ has five tracks and 4 features, most of whom you should probably recognise. Red Robyn, Costabesta, Robin Thirdfloor and Moonchild all add their unique personalities to the tracks. Each song suits the vocalist and feel like they were made closely together, making the EP a well-rounded release.

    ‘Dilemma’ is the opener and features Red Robyn. It kicks off as a dreamy synth pop number and then diverts into a sci-fi rap breakdown for a bit, only to then kick into this section that feels like you’re playing Space Invaders. It has so much depth and commands multiple listens. It’s fun, it’s cheeky, it’s sardonic, it’s honest. Oh, and the Luke Nelson directed video will have you feeling some type of way.

    Costabesta comes through with a grime flow on ‘Coast’ which might have you mistaking him for Dizzee Rascal rapping over a beat made using cups and spoons. I can’t tell if the “You and you and you” line is a Max Normal reference, because it’s said with a similar cadence, but either way it’s a vibe.

    ‘Engojeni’ features Robin Thirdfloor and it’s an up-tempo feel-good dance track that’s all about the art of thrift shopping drenched in Kavinsky-like synths with a thumping beat. No Macklemore vibes here though as I know for a fact that Robin’s style comes from living that thrifty life.

    Moonchild does her thing on the closer, ‘Popcorn’, which is a song about the pains of wearing high-heels and has a chorus about popping the corn on your foot. I shit you not. It’s amazing. Moonchild has a penchant for providing earworms and this one encourages on the jol footcare, although the imagery makes me think of Dr Pimple Popper which means this is either gonna gross some people out or turn them on.

    ‘An Education’ is a solid offering from a musician who really should be on your radar by now. There’s plenty of weirdness that’s held together by pop sensibilities, collabs that accentuate both, and a love of synths that would make Robert Moog proud.

    Listen to Missu’s debut EP, ‘An Education’ here.

  • Umaah’s Sheila EP is Vulnerable and Experimental

    Umaah’s Sheila EP is Vulnerable and Experimental

    Before the current wave of soulful songstresses from Durban who blend R&B with hip-hop and jazz, like Red Robyn, Victoria Raw, and Rhea Black, I used to be enchanted on the weekends by Umaah Khumalo, or as she was affectionately known then, Apple. Umaah mostly used to kick it with Ex-Con (Existing Consciousness), a high energy free-flowing new age act that would blend hip-hop with jazz, rock, soul, R&B and whatever else tickled their fancy. Even though she was the smallest member, she never came across as such on stage.

    Umaah has always felt bigger than her surroundings. Like she couldn’t be contained, although, for a while in Durban, she was a bit. I’ve had a few conversations with her over the years. About the struggles of being a young musician, of balancing work with being in a band. About whether or not that band would make it. It didn’t. But that doesn’t mean Umaah won’t. Her debut solo EP as Umaah is a massive step in a direction that could see some success for her.

    Produced by Jozi’s experimental electronic music genius, Micr.Pluto, Umaah is given plenty of space to shine on the Sheila EP over sounds I’m not used to hearing her on. No acoustic guitar or big band behind her. Instead Umaah gets to pair her voice with some good-old fashioned boombap (with Micr.Pluto’s modern touches, of course), trip-hop, and even a few dubsteb wubs.

    The opening track, ‘Baptist‘, is my favourite. The beat kinda reminds me of Nas’s ‘Represent’ and coupled with Umaah’s soulful vocals, it takes me back to the 90s, driving around in my mom’s Uno Fire whilst she’d play R&B compilations with the likes of Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill on them. There’s a good chance Umaah grew up on Erykah, as she’s the artist I can most liken her to. She’s experimental with her vocals, although she keeps things relatable with an ever-present layer of vulnerability.

  • Visual artist and storyteller Saaiqa unpacks the mind as a theatre in her series ‘The Fourth Wall’

    Visual artist and storyteller Saaiqa unpacks the mind as a theatre in her series ‘The Fourth Wall’

    “The day of birth for every human being is the start of a lifelong battle to adapt himself to an ever-changing environment. He is usually victorious and adjusts himself without pain. However, in one case out of 20 he does not adjust himself. In U.S. hospitals, behind walls like [those] shown here, are currently 500 000 men, women and children whose minds have broken in the conflict of life.”

    (Excerpt from LIFE Magazine’s 1939 article and photo essay, “Strangers to Reason: LIFE Inside a Psychiatric Hospital. The beginning of Saaiqa’s artist statement)

     

    Saaiqa is a Durban-based visual artist, writer and storyteller expressing herself through film, photography, installation and mixed media works. Plunged into the world of artistic evocation from childhood, her creativity was fuelled by a desire to understand, learn and observe from the world.

    From a young age, Saaiqa was involved in theatre and the dramatic arts which she took part in until the end of her high school career.

    “It’s interesting in retrospect, acting and learning how to inhabit another character from such a young age; I think you start to get a handle on how human psychology, experience and conditioning is translated and manifested in how we as individuals exist in the world.”

    Saaiqa’s fascination with the mind stems from a deep-seated interest in mental health. “I believe we all suffer from some form of neurosis; it’s just an inevitability. Even if you are not mentally ill we all have been marked by life in some way.”

    She continues to open up by saying that members of her immediate family are afflicted by mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Her first-hand experience with this has shown her how difficult it is not only for the person afflicted by the illness but for the person’s loved ones to navigate the world living with this illness. She expresses that it is difficult to help someone in this position within a system that is broken and not very forgiving or understanding when it comes to mental health issues.

    ‘Neurosis’ – Rorschach

    In unpacking her series Saaiqa explains that The Fourth Wall acts as a study of the psychological arena of the modern day human being. Through observation she has concluded that we are cognizant beings continuously attuning ourselves to an environment that is characterized by rapid change, causing both feelings of joy and of pain. Her aim with this body of work is to investigate this negation with life. This is achieved by witnessing the human condition as well as states of existentialism.

    “I was motivated to explore a project like this because there is still a great amount of stigma, discrimination and a lack of education and discussion regarding mental illness and health in society. This often prevents people from seeking help and, particularly in under-resourced communities, this often leads to unfair criminal incarceration, homelessness, substance abuse and even suicide.”

    Saaiqa continues to express that she feels that people have become more aware and are speaking about self-care but that she isn’t sure of the seriousness of people’s convictions. “I mean it can’t be this surface level thing; this romanticised tumblr type shit is not going to help people.”

    ‘The Tear’

    She explains the link that she made between the theatre and the mind by stating that to her it feels like the perfect metaphor. She sees the mind as a space where performances manifest. “It’s this place where we literally stage our fantasies, suppress trauma, where we interpret reality, create and destroy identity – it is a performance in constant flux. The theatre of the mind is where one continually finds and loses oneself over and over again, through the course of life.”

    To create this body of work Saaiqa’s process was research heavy. She emphasises the importance of research to her practice regardless of how a project conceptually or visually manifests. She had come to the decision that to approach this subject matter she would use alternative visual approaches that include a variety of mediums such as scans, photomontages, Rorschach prints and an installation work.

    “I observed space a lot; I also look at objects and still lives. I think that spaces and objects hold such power within narratives and can often be the centre of the most compelling images. It can also be important to consider, especially when certain ethical decisions need to be made when tackling complex visual stories.”

    ‘The Mad Scene’

    While creating this body of work Saaiqa was volunteering at a psychiatric hospital working in art therapy within the hospital. She regards volunteering as something that was very important for her to do. Although her series does not reflect issues surrounding mental health in a literal way, her experience in volunteering helped her gain a deeper understanding of different people who exist within alternative states.

    “And because this also hits so close to home it was both an opportunity for experiential learning and a way for me to give back/ improve the lives (even if in some small way) of these people who are all too often forgotten by society.  I worked in quite an intense unit, where a lot of patients had severe cases. It was definitely an eye-opening experience, even for me. The combination of poverty, economic strife, social stigma, lack of education, the exacerbation of some situations created by religion and culture –   all form an immense barrier and lead to disastrous outcomes for most individuals. I learnt a great deal about mental health and the state of healthcare in South Africa. I also learnt a lot about myself during this time as well as the lives of women, which was interesting. In that environment, you realise how fragile we all are and how we all undermine our own and each other’s mental health.”

    ‘Suffer Well’
    ‘Restless Chafing’
    ‘Penance I’ & ‘Penance II’

  • Gqom Oh! strikes again with The Originators EP

    Gqom Oh! strikes again with The Originators EP

    It’s been two years since the Gqom Oh! label released the compilation The Sound of Durban, a superb survey of the ferocious electronic music pumping out of KZN. Created by young bedroom producers in the townships and suburbs which ring the coastal city, and played on raucous dance floors and powerful taxi sound systems, gqom centres ominous drums and menacing loops. The aesthetic intensity responds to harsh social conditions, with journalist Kwanele Sosibo calling it “the CNN of The RDP townships”. But outside of its Durban strongholds, gqom was viewed with scepticism or even hostility, derided as the unruly proletarian step-child of upwardly mobile house and kwaito. Abroad however, it was recognised as an important new strain of dance music, with Rome-based Nan Kolè establishing Gqom Oh! as an international platform for Durban artists.

    Locally, the musical landscape has shifted dramatically since 2016. Gqom inspired music is all over the mainstream, with self-styled ‘Gqom Queen’ Babes Wodumo even appearing on Kendrick Lamar’s massive Black Panther soundtrack. Such a cultural moment makes it important to recognise the potentially overlooked creators and places who originated the style. This latest five track vinyl (with four extras included on the digital release) surveys the past, present and future of gqom. The opulent cover art announces the project’s intent. The featured artist are placed among palm trees, taxis, Diwali fireworks and the Moses Mabhida stadium, highlighting the geography gqom has blossomed in, with roaring flames and a lion to representing its musical power.

    Side A begins with DJ Lag’s ‘Daisies’. Despite his young age, Lag is one of the most prominent producers working, with his stunning music video for ‘Ice Drop’ being possibly the best visual document of the gqom scene to date. He is joined by the legendary Griffit Vigo, who escalates ‘Ree’s Vibe’ from a few simple beats to a sprawling sonic adventure.

    The second side explores different shades of Gqom. Naked Boys hypnotic ‘Story Teller’, with its earworm hook of “what’s the story” represents sgubhu, the hybrid gqom-house style which is all over the radio. Rude Boyz end the vinyl on a stirring note with the imaginative ‘Umshudo’. But the real stand out is Sbucardo da DJ‘s ‘Iphoyisa’, with guest vocalist Abnormal laconically reciting the Zulu lyrics “We at the club, Mr. Policeman don’t disturb us”. Built on top of a sinister synthesiser loop, it reflects the key influence of rap on the evolution of gqom.

    With worthwhile bonus tracks by the same artists on the digital release, The Originators is another excellent work by Gqom Oh!, showing both the roads the genre has taken and what future horizons it may looking toward.

    As an exclusive, Bubblegum Club readers can stream the compilation for a limited time below, with both formats available for purchase at Bandcamp. Keep the gqom fire burning!

  • Robin Thirdfloor is More Than a Musician

    I first came across Robin Thirdfloor in 2016 when I was booking acts for Outland, an ambitious music festival that was fun for the one time that it happened. I was looking for young hip-hop acts who were doing cool things but hadn’t really been on festival lineups. Sthembelo Dlamini, our hip-hop plug at Durban is Yours, recommended a few acts but 2 in particular stood out, ByLwansta and Robin Thirdfloor. Both these cats have since carved unique paths for themselves in the industry and have achieved impressive feats, both locally and internationally, which says something for Sthem’s ear for talent.

    This is about Robin, but you should definitely google ByLwansta if you’re not familiar yet.

    At the time, Robin was promoting his Sounds Empty Pockets Make EP, a homage to old school hip-hop that was all about being young and broke, which is always relatable. On the EP, he told the story of a young rap dude with a fake gold chain who just wanted to be like Biggie and Pac and to do his mama proud.

    I’m pretty sure his mama is proud by now, and if she’s not, she should be. I mean, off that EP the young rapper went from Umlazi to SXSW, which I’d consider to be a pretty big deal. Coming off of that career high, Robin dropped his ‘Bhotela’ EP, exclusively to Deezer thanks to locking down an ambassadorship with the streaming platform.

    Bhotela is vastly different to S.E.P.M and Robin seems like a vastly different person from the kid he was in 2015. There’s more confidence in everything he does now and Robin seems more certain of the path he’s walking. While S.E.P.M was an ode to old school hip-hop from the States, Bhotela is an ode to Umlazi and draws from kwaito and hip-hop to deliver something more distinct.

    Every time I chat to the young rapper and entrepreneur (he has a side hustle called Somdanger Concepts), he always has new questions about the industry and how to navigate it. He’s constantly calculating his next move and putting in the time and effort to make sure that everything he does is just right. From visual aesthetics to sponsorship proposals, Robin makes sure that everything is on wax which is why I don’t doubt that 2018 will be the year his pockets start jingling.

  • SoKool is why Durban Remains so Cool

    When it comes to finding new hip-hop in Durban (and SA), DJ SoKool’s Move Hip-Hop blog has been the go-to resource since before it was even called that. Through her blogging, DJing and now producing for Jnr De Rocka’s Hip-Hop sessions on Gagasi FM, SoKool has been feeding Durbanites with the tastiest dishes of local audio cuisine. SoKool has been influencing people since before influence was measured by how many Instagram followers you bought. We get to know the woman making Durban shine behind the scenes and right in the middle of the shot.

    So, what’s your origin story? How’d you get into DJing and blogging? Which came first and did one feed the other?

    Well, I’m originally from a small town called Gingindlovu and I moved to Durban when I was 17 with the folks. I started Djing because I had a crush on this DJ and the only way I was going to get to hang out with him is if I asked him to teach me how to DJ. I loved how it made me feel so I stuck to it even after I took an L from my crush, lol. I started blogging in 2015 after I had started DJing because I couldn’t find a website where I could go to download all 031 Hip-hop songs I needed. I had just started submitting my 031connect mixes to Nanda FM (which consisted of 031 Hip-hop only) at the time and I was struggling to find music, so I started a blog where someone who was interested in finding Hip-hop music from Durban could go to check out the talent we have. So you could say that one fed the other.

    How’d you get the job producing for Gagasi FM and how are you finding it?

    I approached the presenter of the show Jnr De Rocka for the position. He took a while to get back to me but eventually, he gave me a shot. Said he’ll try me out for 2 weeks and I’ve been producing the Gagasi FM Hip-hop Sessions every Thursday since. It’s pretty cool that I get to pick out music that so many people will end up listening too. I’ve always enjoyed finding new music or discovering a new musician. That’s why I stuck to the DJing. The show allows me to do the same thing; discover and play music but it’s just on a larger scale.

    What does producing at a radio station entail?

    Hmmm… It entails curating how every minute of the show is going to go. From organising what songs are going to play to which artists will be interviewed and also what topics to discuss or what features we going to have on the show. Basically gotta make sure that the show goes smoothly.

    You’ve dedicated your life to sharing music with others, keeping the Move Hip-Hop blog regularly updated, producing for Gagasi FM and DJing regularly. What makes you so passionate about sharing music with others?

    Music has the power to make you feel, make you think and even help you learn. Without music, I think the world would be a pretty dull place man. I have songs that have literally saved my life. I love how that I can bring out a certain emotion when I play for people. Love that I can help someone who is super talented, but slept on, get a platform whether it be radio or the website. This city has so much untapped talent that needs to be shared or documented and I hope that I am working enough so that I can do more for the talent somehow.

    How do you find time for everything and do you ever worry about doing too many different things, or is it easier because it’s all related to each other in some way?

    I actually have so much time that I could be putting to good use but my laziness gets the better of me. Even with all the things I’m involved in I still have so much time that I could try do more with and I’m working on using my time wisely. It also helps I guess everything I do does indeed relate to the other. The DJing, website, and radio all come together. I’m blessed to have a job that doesn’t demand too much of me as well, so I get time to do the things that set my soul on fire.

    Everyone in Durban seems to have a different viewpoint on whether the scene is growing or if there’s a glass ceiling that can only truly be broken in Jozi. What’s your take?

    I don’t believe in any glass ceiling that can only be broken in Jozi. I think the scene here is growing. We’ve come a long way. The fact that we have options now is definitely a sign that we growing. There is so much that we can do for this city art wise while we also grow our art or brand, it just takes patience, consistency, and foresight. There are frustrating things about this city but every city has its frustrations. Always think that if we do not help grow the scene into what we want it to be then how are we going to witness the kind of music or shows that we want. If all the creatives leave the city to break a ‘glass ceiling’ in Jozi who will nurture and build the scene we want to have here? I also believe that if you can make it in this city, in Durban, in your neighbourhood, that you can make it anywhere! Conquer your neighbourhood and the world is yours, if that’s what you going for.

    What are the best and worst things about being a female DJ in Durban?

    It’s frustrating, I guess, that one only gets mad bookings in August, lol. Think in terms of being a female DJ, that’s the only problem I have. The other problems aren’t really gender-specific. We all go through them… Male and female. The worst, promoters usually book the same people so it’s a little tough to get on the roster. The payment is always an issue really… Either late or none at all. The best part is that the city is small so if you doing a great job word gets out quicker.

    As anyone who follows you on social media knows, you love your booty. You even call yourself the Big Booty Thug. What makes the booty such a sacred thing to you?

    Lol, the booty is my gimmick. It’s merely just a body part that increases appeal. Most people think I have a pretty cool body so I use that to my advantage.

    You’re also big on staying fit and body positivity, on the whole, do you have any tips for those looking to get fit but find the challenge daunting?

    Find a physical activity that you love doing. Whether it be dance or jogging or cycling and do that as often as you can. If you don’t have one pick one and just be disciplined about it.

    Who do you think will be the next big acts to come out of Durban?

    Whoah!! I think I have a list so let me just list like 5. Rhea Blek, Zanda Zakuza but she’s almost there so lets rather say Artchild. Snapbvck, Holly, Pepe Gee and Khumz ow, ow and um… Goldenblack, and Bliq. Ok, that’s more than 5 but yeah… This city is full talent man!

  • Distruction Boyz are the Future of Gqom

    Emerging out of the townships of Durban, the reach of gqom has spread over the last five years touching the rest of South Africa and making an impression on the global underground. With pioneers such as DJ Lag and the Rude Boyz having laid the foundation for the next generation of artists, now more than ever there is an appetite for the stripped down, minimal sounds of Durban.

    Having produced Babes Wodumo’s breakout hit “Wololo”, Kwa-Mashu based producers Distruction Boyz’ 13 track debut album “Gqom is the Future” showcases the duo’s intention of leaving a lasting impression on the music industry with one of the most exciting sounds to emerge out of South Africa in the last decade. Dubbed sghubu, a subgenre of gqom, Distruction Boyz’ sound is softer, more melodic, with more commercial leanings than it’s underground cousin.

    The album features collaborations with rising stars and heavyweights of the scene including Prince Bulo, Benny Maverick, Dlala Mshunqisi, Rude Boyz, Tipcee, Cruel Boyz and even DJ Tira. Favourite tracks from the last year including “2 O’Clock”, “Madness”, “Midnight” and 2016’s nationwide hit “Shut Up and Groove” all make an appearance. With relentless grooves and syncopated rhythms, the 13 tracks on “Gqom is the Future” hit you like a freight train and make sitting still an impossibility.

    With “Gqom is the Future” Thobani “Que” Mgobhozi and Zipho “Gold” Mthembu have assembled an album that captures the vibrant energy of Durban and it’s no surprise that the album has been released in time for summer. With promising initial sales, the Distruction Boyz’ goal of reaching Gold seems within reach. Expanding the palette of what one expects from Gqom, the Distruction Boyz have added new elements to what is an already exciting and evolving genre. The only questions that remains is where the future of Gqom is going to take it next.

  • Nobody Told Life Below That South African Hardcore is Dead

    South African hardcore is pretty fucking dead. There are a few bands, a few shows, and a few people keeping the genre, in some variation or the other, “alive”, but it’s a far cry from the glory days of spin kicking your friends in the face and running around in a circle to indiscernible noise with a couple hundred people. The old hardcore scene has grown up and largely moved on to jobs that are the anti-thesis to the music they grew up listening to… or just other things. The current crop of impressionable youths who, once, might have thrown down to Go! Go! Bronco, now get psychedelic with the likes of Black Math. Things change, you know?

    I think somebody forgot to tell that to Life Below.

    Life Below are four dudes who grew up in the Durban hardcore scene and have become one of the last living reminders that it ever existed. Mitch Harper (vox), James Strachan, (guitar/vox)  Steven Ilbury (bass) and Brendan Meintjes (drums) all got involved in their community of stage dives and high fives when they were teenagers. I remember sharing many a moshpit in churches and dive bars with each of them. If I remember the story correctly, Mitch, Brendan and Steve started a death metal band when they were 15, but they never played any shows. Brendan and James later formed We Were Archers, who managed to gain a few fans, but suffered from not sounding like the local bands who were cool at the time. Then the scene kinda dissolved around them despite all of Steve’s efforts with Noisefix – a blog turned production/promotion company that focuses on bringing over international hardcore and metal bands. All the bigger bands broke up, nobody really filled their place, and the scene moved on to pop-punk and popping pills to EDM. So, naturally, in 2014, in twilight of the once flourishing Durban hardcore scene, the 4 of them got together to start Life Below.

    Since then, they’ve put out a solid first offering with their ‘I’ EP and earned a reputation for having one of the most passionate and energetic live shows in the country. Much wailing, gnashing of teeth and things of that nature. But that’s not why we’re gathered here today, dearly beloved. We are gathered here because last week they put out, for my money, the second best hardcore release to come out of the country after Conqueror’s ‘Life on Repeat’.

    Grim Reality is ferocious, fierce and fucking phenomenal. It kicks off at breakneck speed with ‘Idle Hands’ and only slows down (barely) for the odd break-down and for track 4, ‘Heavy Chains’, the noticeably slowest track on the 7 and a half minute, 5 track long EP. Life Below don’t mince words and they don’t waste time. They know how to fill a short space of time with a hell of a lot of noise, whilst still giving you a bit of space every now and then to catch your breath. It’s chaos and disorder woven into melody. Grim Reality is the culmination of 4 cats growing up on metal and hardcore making the music they want to hear. The death metal influence still shows with their love of blast beats and furious riffage but they mix it deftly with punchy break-downs and Mitch’s vocals are distinctly pissed-off hardcore.

    Grim Reality is like a punch to a Nazi’s face, violent yet satisfyingly so. It hits hard and quick, but leaves you feeling cathartic. While hardcore may be “dead”, it doesn’t really matter. Life Below have put out one of the best hardcore releases in South African history, regardless of what’s popular now, which, at the end of the day, embodies the spirit of what hardcore is meant to be.

    Life Below will be launching Grim Reality this Friday at The Winston Pub in Durban. They’re joined by Scrapyard  Bones, Codes and Violence. Here’s the Facebook event.

    Below is a taste of Grim Reality. Give it a listen.

    [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2740112521 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

  • DJ Prie Believes Anything is Possible with Gqom

    If you’re a night-owl and you listen to Ukhozi FM, there’s a good chance you’ve heard DJ Prie Nkosazana taking you through the graveyard shift from 1:30. I don’t listen to Ukhozi so I heard about her from those more knowledgeable than myself. Turns out I’ve been sleeping – which is fair considering the time slot – because the 21-year-old DJ, producer and #hustler from Morningside in Durban has steadily been gaining plays and stage time. I mean, her track ‘Washa Gqom’ has racked up over 30 00 plays on Youtube in just over 4 months, her latest single ‘Balesa Ba Kulu’ is sitting on over 6000 downloads in 2 weeks, and she told me she got to share a stage with DJ Khaled at Vain Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which is just dope and not something many South African artists can say. Plus she follows nobody on Instagram which is pretty baller.

    I couldn’t find much about the “Princess of Gqom” through Google so I bounced a few emails back and forth with her. Turns out she’s still new to the game, having only been producing for a year. Prie produces gqom because “Gqom is for young people, sometimes it doesn’t have a message that can inspire you, but the beat and bass can make you believe that anything is possible.” She’s multifaceted too, “My music stands apart because I’m creative, my beat changes, and I can produce commercial house as well.” The young DJ recently played the femme-focussed Pussy Party at Kitcheners in Jozi, and I heard she tore the place down. Her own experience was even better than she’d expected, “The reception was totally amazing, everybody was dancing to Gqom. Even the people I thought would never like Gqom. The crowd was welcoming and the lady who booked me (Colleen Balchin) made sure I was safe.”

    Considering DJ Prie is from Durban and plays Gqom, I asked how much influence the city has had on her. She’s not as sentimental as most Durbanites, “Growing up in Durban didn’t influence my music. I believe even if I was in Cape Town, I would have been doing what I’m doing now because I’ve got so many people I look up to.” People like Ukhozi FM’s BigKid, and DJ Cindo, “They are hardworking and warm. The way they carry themselves to me and to everyone is just mindblowing.” Being on radio, even at such a late time slot, has been nothing but a blessing for a young DJ eager to learn. “Ukhozi has made me grow in so many ways, my gigs improved, my fan-base increased and I got to meet my mentor Gugu Yengwa (BigKid). I enjoy the freedom of the slot because sometimes I don’t have to pitch at the studio so it gives me more time to focus on my music.”

  • Matt Kay // a spatial investigation with documentary photography

    Matt Kay // a spatial investigation with documentary photography

    Matt Kay is a photographer who grew up in the Natal Midlands. After spending some time in Johannesburg studying at the Market Photo Workshop, he subsequently became one of the lecturers. Matt was however drawn back to Durban, where he had lived for some time. The scenery, the beach front, the people of Durban are what Matt needs to construct his photographic narratives. Matt expresses that he builds his narratives from memory and that he regards his work as an introspective investigation.

    Matt was awarded the Tierney Fellowship and received the opportunity to work under the renowned photographer David Goldblatt. During his mentorship with Goldblatt Matt produced his series, ‘The Front’. The series is an ongoing exploration of space and who occupies it. In this series Matt seeks to document what the Durban beachfront space was at that moment in time. As has often been said, a photograph captures a moment in time. ‘The Front’ is confrontational and speaks about identity, diversity and the multi functional nature of the shared public space. Challenging preconceived ideas about the Durban beachfront, Matt’s body of work looks at a space that seems integrated however below the surface there are still lines of segregation.

    Image from ‘The Front’

    What makes the subject matter of Matt’s photographic investigation of interest is the nature of the beach front: it is a space unlike most in South Africa as it falls outside of race, class or wealth restrictions – the beach is open for all to appreciate. This series opens up a narrative exploration in which it’s consumer will come to recognize that this apparent shares space is not what it appears to be and is in fact a front. Matt’s observation in ‘The Front’, brings up the history of the Durban beachfront and the various bodies that take occupancy in the space.

    Matt has the ability to capture moments in photographs that I as a photographer would not necessarily look at with my naked eye and think, “Here is a photo worth taking”. He looks at things that seem ordinary, standard and he elevates these scenes into something extraordinary. Matt works as a documentarian capturing moments as they happen yet at the same time it truly does feel as though there had to be some level of choreographing subjects. I believe he has a unique eye and focus in his work with emphasis on narratives that he can construct from memory.

    In an interview with Between 10&5 Matt stated, “I like to think my photographs ask questions although I’m not really interested in the answers.” I feel however that Matt is in some way interested in his answers as his investigative series ‘The Front’ displays.

    Image from ‘The Front’
    Image from ‘The Front’
    Image from ‘The Front’
    Image from ‘The Front’