Bubblegum Club

Tag: ep

  • Rose Bonica doesn’t want it to get to your head

    Rose Bonica doesn’t want it to get to your head

    Since her beginnings in 2016, Rose Bonica has quietly made a name for herself as a fresh and innovative producer of electronic music that, thanks to its many influences, defies classification within a specific genre. Unbound by the rules and structures inherent in club music, her productions instead are highly textured and often play with the listener’s expectations while still referencing the foundational elements of dance music. “I stick to a loose idea, like when there’s a break [the track] has to develop, but I still live arrange. I feel like copy-pasting, sticking to that structure, loses that kind of feeling and makes it really rigid, but I do try keep the live arrangement within the realms of the rules of what people actually resonate with,” Rose Bonica explains.

    Her second EP after 2017’s “Rosy Disposition”, “Don’t Let It Get To Your Head” sees Rose Bonica pushing herself more as a producer and artist, exploring new territories and honing her sound. Explaining her move to include her own vocals on this release Rose Bonica says, “I wanted to fuck with vocals. I found you can actually do a lot with vocals and I was tired of waiting for people to come to Hout Bay, so it was definitely a natural progression I wanted to push. I don’t know why I should sample someone else’s voice if I can attempt it first.” As a producer she is also pushing herself to incorporate more melody in her music, something she felt was lacking in her first release.

    Photography by Tatyana Levana

    Viewing production as a therapeutic outlet, Rose Bonica sees “Don’t Let It Get To Your Head” as a release that deals with how quickly one can veer off one’s own path, dealing with the industry and how easy it is for all these things to get to you. “I would say it’s just a culmination of everything like a break up in relationship terms and with the [industry]. Trying to step away from everything and the politics that go around this little city, and the world.”

    As on her previous release, the sounds and moods of “Don’t Let It Get To Your Head” are varied, with Rose Bonica’s sonic palette featuring everything from deep, droning techno basslines to drum patterns with a distinct afro-house feel, serene synth-leads and industrial percussion. Over the course of 6 tracks, Rose Bonica shows her versatility and originality as a producer, with the tracks on this EP each having their own sound yet fitting together as a coherent whole.

    With a visual treatment in partnership with Tamzyn Limb on the way and yet-to-be-announced festival bookings on the calendar, Rose Bonica is looking to bring her EP to life in way that is fun to experience and perform, all while remembering not to let it go to her head.

  • 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.

  • Sainty Baby is the Fierce Lesbian Rapper She Dreamt About

    Sainty Baby is the Fierce Lesbian Rapper She Dreamt About

    Sainty Baby is one of the most AMPED people I have ever met. She’s a diminutive ball of energy, and comes across as a soft and genuine person. Her positivity and belief in herself is infectious. With her upcoming EP dropping on the 13th of July, I figured it would be a good time to really get to know the house DJ and rapper who has had quite the life so far.

    Originally from Pietermaritzburg, Sainty Baby is 1 of 3 children which is why she was named Nthathu, which means ‘Three’ in Xhosa. She’s open when I ask about growing up and tells me, “I don’t remember much, honestly, or maybe I’m becoming good at covering things up, especially if they involve hurt and pain.” I relate to her on that. Most of my childhood is in deep recesses I don’t want to delve into either. “I was bullied in primary school,” she explains, “‘til I told my older sister about the culprits. I don’t know why it took me 2 years to tell [her], but boy, did she save my gay ass! Sorry can I say that? Real talk, I can never understand people who are actively mean for no reason.”

    Her complicated relationship with her father is one of the motivations behind her work. But music wasn’t the original dream. “I remember exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up – a cop. I always imagined one of those shootouts where the cops hide behind a car, pop up carefully and fire at perpetrators, like in the movies, and guess what? I sort of did it! I say sort of because the only time I shot a gun was at Traffic Training College and during the annual Station Shoot.” Not exactly what I was expecting to hear. Personally, watching those movies, I always imagined being the bad guys and anti-heroes, but haven’t pursued the fantasy too much IRL. Sainty Baby became a cop for 5 years. “From 2009 to 2014, I was a cop by day and DJ by night. Provincial Inspector for the Road Traffic Inspectorate to be specific. Yawned out after 5 years.” Before that, it was working at McD’s on weekends and school holidays from Grade 11.

    Sainty Baby got into rapping back in 2007 thanks to a MXit rip-off and wanting to fit in. “There was a chatting app called Mig33. One particular group that intrigued me was the Rap Battle group. I decided I HAD to learn how to battle so I could hang people out in public. I know that’s terrible inspiration but in the beginning that’s what I desired.” She’s so self-aware and open, it’s disarming yet comforting. “I had a rapper friend/producer called KayDee so I asked him and he was more than willing to help. Immediately, I picked up that my word play was pretty sick.” She also has a fair bit of self-confidence.

    “I moved to Durban in 2009. In 2013 I met an artist/producer named Gavin from Sydenham. He actually gave me a Hip-Hop hit which I never released. When it came to practicality, as a new artist I had to choose an art to finesse.” Sainty came to a crossroads in her musical journey. She had been rapping and DJing for years, and had to figure out which to pursue further – “I had to choose between rap and house.” She choose house. Her thinking was, “Once I got GOOD at DJing, then I could look into learning more and incorporating that into my music, which got me looking into production. I quit my job in November 2014 and the following year I used the money from my old job to pay for my Soul Candi Institute of Music fees. That’s when life became interesting – I could make my own music from scratch!”

    Recently though, she found herself called back to rap. “Last winter, I was in my brother’s studio. He handed me his phone and asked me to try and do the last verse he had written. I did it. It felt good until the other rappers started complimenting my verse.” Usually most people are stoked to get compliments but Sainty Baby wasn’t satisfied with her brothers words in her mouth. “At first, I wanted to write my own raps so I could get compliments for my own rhymes, but a year later I feel like lyrics descend upon me during my quiet moments, like a gift from a higher power. Or maybe I’ve practiced enough to confidently say that this is my best medium of expressing myself. I don’t know how I’d speak about getting shot in the face over a house beat.” Being a house DJ just didn’t fit the vision Sainty had in her dreams. “I’ve always had a picture of a fierce lesbian rapper who’d drive the country crazy with punch lines, word play and a bit of confusion. Girls like her. Guys like her. All the lesbians want to be her. I woke up one day and realized that star female rapper was me. My fellow citizens just don’t know yet. I’ve created a lot of audio letters and confessions and I’d just like every person to listen to it at least once.”

    I asked her how she’s found the transition from behind the decks to in front of them. “Astonishing, exciting and a bit nerve-racking because it’s different to DJing. Now I have to stand in front of a crowd and convince them I’m worthy of their time and I CAN actually entertain. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to tell everyone how grateful I am to be alive still. I’m also very eager to release my audio confessions so I can finally move on from all the things I’ve been through. Everything is okay now.”

    Sainty aims to be one of the 5 best female rappers in South Africa, so I asked her what she thinks it’ll take to get there. “Hits, sass. Honesty and playfulness. Dope visuals and a lot of well curated shows, preferably free shows. A bit of giving people what they want without losing your uniqueness in the process. International strides are a good way of boosting your fans’ confidence back home.” It seems like she has it pretty figured out, although time will tell if she can make such moves.

    She’s got a unique vision and wants to offer people something different. I asked her what she’s offering that others aren’t and she burst forth with ideas. “I pray my competition doesn’t copy this but instead of traditional music videos I will put on live theatre shows, showcasing the music. The picture on my E.P. cover, picture that bed on a real stage and the opening act is me waking up from sweet slumber and bursting into song! I’m offering a new and evolving sound. Every beat is different from the next. I’m also bringing my birthright into play. Vernac! I don’t know a female rapper that spits in her own language, with the exception of Sho Madjozi. I’m going to give people Instagram captions in isiZulu and have them ask themselves HOW a girl is able to come up with such. It’s beautiful because I do everything on these songs. I sing, I rap and I switch between my two languages with the greatest of ease. Fun and Truth combo is an angle I’m going with. I’ll jokingly or sometimes straight up say something that most people already have on their mind.

    ‘Getting you outta rotation,

    Vele you’re so overrated,

    Why are you famous?

    Alrighty that’s none of my business,

    The company went outta business,

    The country economy dipping,

    Why are you doing this Cyril?’

    I didn’t mean to use his first name but it rhymes better. Anyway, I’ll use my sweet voice to carry messages across and once in a while, in between the lines, you’ll find something you also relate to.”

    Sainty Baby’s debut EP drops on the 13th of July, you can hear her most recent singles below:

  • Richi Rich is bringing Alex to the World

    Richi Rich is bringing Alex to the World

    Soweto-born, but raised in South Africa’s oldest township, Alexandra, the young rapper known as Richi Rich has been active as a rapper since 2010 when he was part of YunGunz crew alongside Suup Zulu and Hip Nautic Sean. “We all were different, so we all chose to go our individual ways and do different stuff, but we were still going to support each other,” explains Richi Rich.

    As a solo artist Richi Rich has released three mixtapes and an EP, most recently dropping the ‘NORTHGOMORA MIXTAPE’. With Alexandra, or Alex as it’s called, on the border of ‘the North’ aka Sandton, the title alludes to the two worlds which Richi occupies. “I’ve been to the North, I’ve been to Alex. I’m where the suburbs and the hood meet.”

    Having found hip-hop at an early age, Richi Rich describes himself as an influencer in his circle of friends, introducing them to sounds such as G-Unit when it first came out. In terms of influences on his sound he holds The Notorious B.I.G. and Okmalumkoolkat in high regard. “When I saw Okmalumkoolkat and the ‘Sebenza’ song that changed the whole perspective of music for me. (To) actually create South African hip-hop. People in America don’t want to hear what they do. They want to hear something new, something from South Africa, something from Africa. So I feel like we should push that.”

    For Richi Rich creating something new isn’t just about the music he makes but everything that surrounds it too, from the fashion to the slang. It’s a lifestyle. “We’ve created something new. It’s not like we took something from someone and just carried on doing it. Everything is new. Because we’re young people. We’re trying to grow into becoming superstars, we’ve evolved like crazy.”

    While Richi Rich is focused on originality, he acknowledges the influence Alex has had on him and his aesthetic. “The influence comes from Alex. What we say, how we live, what we do and how we dress, most of the influence comes from where we come from. Being in the hood you learn a whole lot of stuff. Life lessons. People giving you advice.”

    Ultimately, Richi Rich is trying to show people a side of Alex they might not be familiar with. “I feel like that’s what makes me special. I don’t believe in everybody sounding the same. Like Youngsta, you can tell that he’s from Cape Town. That makes him special. It makes him more interesting; you want to listen to him more, you want to learn more about Cape Town, where he comes from. So I feel like it does make me special. Me being from Alex and bringing Alex to the world.”

    Richi Rich hopes that people enjoy his music, but also learn something from it too. “When you listen to my music I want you to learn something. Not just come out of it like that’s good. When you’re finished with my mixtape I want it to be that you’ve learnt something from Richi. I want you to take knowledge from me, what I’ve learnt in the hood.”

  • STASH CREW’s latest EP is the electronic soundtrack for a gender fluid future

    STASH CREW’s latest EP is the electronic soundtrack for a gender fluid future

    The future is gender fluid. Probably. I mean, if there is a future. With the current climate, who knows how much longer we’ll inhabit this planet for? What I do know is that more people these days are starting to open up to the idea that sexuality is a spectrum and so is gender, which bodes well for a less binary future. STASH CREW’s GENDERFLUIDZ, as you can probably tell by the title, is a jacked up electronic soundtrack for that future.

    Right off the bat, we’re greeted with a booty popping opener called Pop (Dat) which I can only describe as Smack My Bitch up in a washing machine of bass. It’s a fun opener that gives you a solid idea of what you’re in for over the next 7 songs. You’re in for is a queer as fuck retro-futuristic rap-rave jol. Think Die Antwoord, but with less cultural appropriation and more lyrics about women eating pussy.

    “The realities of living as a queer person in South Africa are brutal. We are inspired by the transformative and inclusive possibilities of queer culture and how we can counteract the challenges and violence that queer people face on a daily basis,” STASH CREW explain in their press release, “We want more queer positive, sex positive people celebrating themselves and their wants and desires – and dancing every damn day”.

    GENDERFLUIDZ will definitely get you dancing, and it truly is 2 queer kids from Jozi celebrating themselves, with touches from Umlilo, HLASKO and Schall Regall. Whyt Lyon, Phayafly have a close working relationship with Umlilo. In 2017 they toured Brazil and Germany with Umlilo as part of their ‘Queer Intergalatic Alliance’ collaborative project, and Umlilo also features on their bonus song and video for GENDERFLUIDZ, Mad as Hell.

    Photography by Corrina Mehl

  • Garage Rock Band Mouse Make a Rip Roaring Racket 

    Garage Rock Band Mouse Make a Rip Roaring Racket 

    I hate band origin stories. Fucking loathe them. “Oh, how’d you guys get together?” “Well, the lads and I were all friends in high school and we loved Foo Fighters so we decided to start a band,” or worse, “The label put us together.” But, I like Mouse‘s origin story. I fucking love Mouse, in general, but I think their Origin story is serendipitous and cute. They met, quite simply, because Damon (guitar, vox) put out an ad out on Gumtree. Chris (drums) found the ad whilst browsing online, hit Damon up, and now they’re travelling the country and, pretty soon, the world, making a rip roaring racket.

    Ok, that’s not exactly the most compelling story, but the thing is, rarely have there been two people so perfectly suited to make music together. Two good-natured but awkward, nerdy loners, equal parts naive and cynical, one, a guitarist, the other, a drummer, finding each other through the internet’s classifieds, and being such a perfect match, just seems like some sort of providence, or a statistical inevitability. Idk, either way, I’m stoked it happened because Mouse have by far been my favourite addition to the Durban music scene in the last few years.

    They’re on the garage/psych rock wave that’s been popular amongst white people who wear leather jackets over vests with skinny jeans and slops, but they themselves couldn’t give a single fuck about fashion or image. Like Black Math who came before them, Mouse fit in that uniquely Durban psych-influenced garage rock space that seems to have more grit and less pretension to it than many bands playing with similar sounds. What can I say? I’m partial to high pitched yells over distorted guitars and playful and experimental drum beats. Mouse hit that sweet spot for me and a steadily growing number of people who know what’s up.

    Mouse have been racking up the miles and consistently been getting booked around the country for the last year and a bit. With many trips to Joburg under their belt and a handful of ventures to Cape Town, as well as highly raved about sets at Mieliepop and Endless Daze, Mouse are starting to hit their stride as they get wiser to the game and more experience under their belts. They’ll soon be jetting off to play in Reunion Island, and they’ve been in talks with promoters in Europe about a possible tour, which I assume will lead to more tours because Mouse are one of those bands that once you’ve seen them live once, you’re hooked.

    In the last 4 months, Mouse have been on a tear with musical releases. We’re talking 2 EPs, a track on a hip compilation and a 12-minute song just for good measure. Serendipity had me at Red Bull Studios in Cape Town the same time they were recording Balaclava which just has this ferocious driving surf-rock influenced guitar riff that gets taken all over the place and is a trip to listen to. They recorded it as part of the Psych Night/Red Bull/Vans God Save The New Wave compilation and it’s the stand out track of the 5. No disrespect to the other bands, I just couldn’t get through their songs without going back to Balaclava and rocking the fuck out. I might be biased but I’m also 100% correct.

    I’ve also been bumping their Red Saint EP on repeat for the last month or so, mostly for the guitar riffage that kicks in about 30 seconds in on the opening track Eliminator. It starts out slow but turns into a real snorter that seeks to knock your block off. I suggest wearing a helmet to avoid injury.

    Their latest release, Wave, is a 12-minute monster that highlights the duo’s creativity and stamina. The drums sound a bit like they were recorded in a bedroom, because they were, but that’s the charm of “garage” rock. It’s over 12 minutes long but never gets boring. Like the title suggests, the song builds and breaks repeatedly like waves crashing on the shore/your face. Sure, it’s a bit indulgent, but all Chris and Damon want to do is make some noise together, and you’d be hard-pressed to find two people better suited to do it.

  • Sibot dishes out an “L”

    L is for love, or in the Facebook era, a like. If you’re a Scott Pilgrim fan, L is for lesbians. L is for lush or libations if you’re a bit of a drinker. To a cartographer, L is for latitude and longitude. For social media managers looking to hit that millennial market, L is for lit. L is for the lavish lifestyles presented to us by pop stars. L is whatever you make it, but in Sibot’s case, I think it probably stands for legend.

    I remember the first time I heard a Sibot track. It was on one of the old SL compilation CDs from back when print wasn’t dead. Those CDs held a lot of gems back in the day, even if they did put out Candice Hillebrand’s first single they also put out a version of Sibot and Watkin Tudor Jones’ ‘Super Evil’ that, to my knowledge, was never officially released. I’d never heard anything so fresh. While Waddy’s “kreepy-krawly” line still cracks me to this day, that beat is infectious and experimental as fuck. This was like 12/14 years ago. A year or so later, after a late night LAN party, I found myself with a folder labeled “the fantastic kill” with no track titles, but after clicking play, I immediately knew who I was dealing with. It was on that album I was introduced to Spoek Mathambo and it was from there that I’d follow everything Sibot, Watkin Tudor Jones and Spoek Mathambo did.

    Sibot has continued to grow as a producer, putting out an impressive body of work and developing one of the best live shows in the country. With Toyota on visuals, it’s an unrivaled onslaught of sight and sound. Mswenkofontein was probably his biggest track in recent years but he’s put out a few noteworthy releases, 2013’s “Magnetic Jam” was put out by Mad Decent, Red Bull Music picked up “Arc-Eyes” and last year he dropped “new age kwaito 2010” on his ace. Each release unique in sound and direction, each still coated with Sibot’s signature bass tones.

    His latest project is an album he’s releasing as four EPs called “V.L.D.T”. The tracks on the EPs are numbered where they are on the album and once all four are out, you can piece them together as one body of work. It’s a unique way to put out a project and gives Sibot an opportunity to highlight the different aspects of the album before people get to hear it as a whole. The first was put out a few months ago, It’s called “V” and it’s mostly in the Arc-Eyes/Magnetic Jam sphere, we’re talking heavy beats broken up and smashed together, but his upcoming EP, “L”, is closer to “new age kwaito” and sees Sibot playing in the 4/4 realm as he flexes his techno and house skills.

    The new EP, or the second part of the album, is notably different from what we’re used to from Sibot. Instead of flinging my body around the room and getting whiplash from whipping my hair back and forth, I find myself swaying from side to side, head bopping and shoulders shrugging to the hypnotic beats. “L” feels like a futuristic throwback that reminds me of sliding around club dancefloors in the mid-2000s. I’ve often prefered the heaviness and discombobulating beats behind Sibot’s music, but “L” is welcome relief to the usual chaos and an expertly crafted release that shows the production range the pioneer is capable of.

    “L” comes out on the 11th of April and adds 3 dynamic tracks to any adventurous house/techno DJ’s arsenal. It’s certainly not what you’d expect, or at least, not what I expected, but by now we should know to expect the unexpected from the local legend. I’m intrigued to hear the next 2 releases after “L” and see how the whole album fits together once it’s all out there. We’re only half-way through it’s release but V.L.D.T is shaping up to be Sibot’s most dynamic and diverse project to date. If you’re looking for something different from one of SA’s stalwarts of electronic music, check out Sibot’s soundcloud on the 11th of April.

  • ByLwansta creates rhythmic waves and lyrical poise

    The Karolinska Institute in Sweden has recently published a study that indicates musical talent may have a lot to do with genetics. Researchers compared pairs of identical twins, and found that no matter how much one twin had practiced up until that point in their life, the other twin, who had practiced much less, would still have an equal level of musical talent. ByLwansta, on the other hand, did not inherit music genetically; he has had to work at it. The Kokstad-born MC, who is the younger brother of singer/songwriter Kimosabe, has been writing rhymes since he was a kid. “My brother had a little studio and a lot of young artists would come through and have sessions and I would just be in the corner listening and writing to their songs. Eventually I got the courage and asked my bother to write a song for me and my brother said no. So I just had to start writing for myself.”

    ByLwansta’s efforts last year culminated in the release of the well-received EP titled You’re Absolutely Right. The narrative project is based on the struggle and thoughts of an artist on the cusp of stardom. ByLwansta illuminates the struggles of the come-up in this cinematic offering. He does not glorify it’s difficulties but instead pulls it into focus for the listener. “I am not unsigned,” says ByLwansta, “I am an independent artist and people need to understand that and what comes with it. The project was in the works for around six months and I was planning it. Mostly I wanted it to be clear and articulate where I am as an artist but also just where I am emotionally as a human being.”.

    ByLwansta explained that You’re Absolutely Right also comes from being an artist working in the often contradictory world of Durban hip hop. In the city the scene is segregated. Street cats still battle at the bus terminals and host packed shows in the townships, whilst exclusive MCs perform at venues and night markets in the city. There is no in between. “When I came to Durban I was very much aware of the Durban hip-hop scene. But I knew I did not want to expose myself to it immediately because some people might be territorial,” he says. “I feel like in the Durban hip hop scene, there are a lot of egos that always seem to clash. It’s cool when it’s just music but sometimes it’s just weird.”.

    It could be argued that ByLwansta is guilty of over-rapping in certain tracks. However, these rough edges are smoothed over by his cadence. As he would tell you, it’s all about learning. In a world where hip-hop is being built entirely on flows, ByLwansta’s diction is a breath of fresh air. Surprising us with rhymes in unexpected places, his treatment of lyrics is what sets him apart from his peers. “My music is emo and it makes the writing process really different, it’s not like I can sit and channel an emotion. I’d love to make happy songs but for me music is not the first thing I wanna do when I’m happy,” he says.

    You’re Absolutely Right occupies two worlds. Lyrically it is clearly the product of an MC who is part of a generation that grew up on the internet, but sonically it is not disconnected from late ’90s boom bap and early 2000s emo rap.

    ByLwansta is decisively hip-hop in that he embraces the DIY aesthetics of the genre’s roots. He designs his own artwork, directs his videos and is involved in every step of his music-making process including how the work rolls out. This is partly out of necessity because as an independent artist he doesn’t have many options. It’s also because he is a perfectionist trying to articulate his vision on his own terms. “I like to do a lot of things myself,” he says. “It’s not a case of me having pride and wanting to do it all but it’s more like, nobody can do my vision the way I want it to be done. So let me just do it cause I also want to avoid working on other people’s time

     

     

     

  • Slow Oceans EP is a Carefully Considered addition to Jumping Back Slash’s Unique Catalogue

    Writing about music from day to day usually isn’t that difficult. A lot of releases are so one-dimensional, cliché and uninspired that you can name drop a few genres, say some shit about a hook here or a beat there, give some info about the artist, throw in some hot-takes and you’re good to go. So it’s a bit daunting being given Jumping Back Slash’s latest EP to tell you about. Slow Oceans is so incredibly layered and nuanced that I feel like I may be out of my depth, which makes it rather aptly named.

    I’m on my 13th listen and I find myself drawn to new subtleties each time. The soft, repetitive “thump” of the kick-drum throughout “Come Rescue Me”. The reverberating bass set against playful use of a vocoder on “Khule Naye”. The way “Signs in the Stream” builds so subtly and makes repetition an art. The opening track which the EP is named after, “Slow Oceans”, sounds like the opening scene in a movie where there’s a new dawn in ancient land. Maybe there are dinosaurs, maybe it’s not that far back in time, I don’t know, but you get the picture. Like the scene in Jurassic Park where they’re in the trees and the sun comes up? Along those lines.

    It’s all quite something and there’s a lot going on across the six tracks, but they’re deftly held together by the ever-evolving producer and his choice in featured artists. Nonku Phiri lends her talents to the closing track, “The Siren’s Call”, and the sonic sorcerer Hlasko adds his touch to half the productions- “Khule Naye”, “In the Void” (which also features Shane Cooper aka Card on Spokes) and today’s exclusive premier, the hypnotic and haunting “Signs in the Stream”.

    Jumping Back Slash has such a unique catalogue and Slow Oceans is a carefully considered, and masterfully crafted addition. The EP drops on the 27th of January but you can treat your ears and listen to a piece of the puzzle, “Signs in the Stream”, below.

    For more about Jumping Back Slash, check out his website, Twitter and Facebook.

     

  • FAKA – Speaking With the Gods

    Faka, the dynamic duo of Desire Marea and Fela Gucci, are proudly representing black and queer creativity with potent sound and vision. Along with their glam imagery and performance pieces, they make music which combines the brute force of Gqom with the optimistic ghost of bubblegum township pop, kwaito and gospel. Their artistic manifesto is best epitomized by the song `Izitibane zaziwe ukhuti zibuya ebukhosini’ (Let it be known, that queerness is a thing of the Gods) which they released with the accompanying statement: ‘ this is an ode to all the powerful dolls who risk their lives every day by being visible in an unsafe world. This is a celebration of those who have fearlessly embraced themselves. Because when your identity is the cause of your suffering in the world, you begin to feel the very source of your greatness in the world’.

    This hopeful message underlies the mysterious and alluring debut EP Bottoms Revenge. Adapted from a live piece of the same name, this three track Ep is thirty minutes of outrageously psychedelic `Ancestral Gqom Gospel.’ The opening ‘ Isifundo Sokuqala’ starts with a false sense of calm, until it introduces hypnotic static. The 18 minute title track is ambient odyssey through inner and outer space. Such a terse description undersells how unique their music is, but that’s because it hard to describe something so singular. If I had to pin it down, I’d describe it as sounding like releases from an alternate timeline where Brenda Fassie teamed up with post-punk synthesizer abusers Cabret Voltaire to ritually summon a benevolent matriarchal elder god.

    Appropriately, the EP is released on NON records, a collective which has been steadily building an impressive catalogue of provocative music. In such dark  times, where a racist maniac has just been elected to the most powerful political position of Earth, this expression of individualism and refusal of labels feels like a welcome act of aesthetic resistance.

  • DJ Lag Steps Up

    When asked to describe the sound of the Gqom subgenre, DJ Lag doesn’t hesitate- ‘it’s raw and hype.’ Since the beginning of this decade, it has become the defining electronic music to come from Durban and it’s surrounding townships, like Lag’s home Clermont. Gqom takes SA production to a new extreme of brooding intensity. It’s powerful enough to command attention when blaring 130 bpm at dangerous volumes on public transport. But it has enough nuance to reward intimate listening on cellphone headphones. Coming from an isiZulua word for drum, Gqom really does sound like a huge monolith being hurled onto a heaving dancefloor. Despite its popularity, it still remains an underground status with little overt media or radio support in South Africa.

    But such potency has also given it an international cachet. DJ Lag himself has recently been featured on UK music websites eagerly awaiting the release of his self-titled debut EP. Coming out on the London  label Goon Club All Stars, it will be backed up with a tour of Asia and Europe. Ahead of the new release, he has dropped the spine tingling ‘16th Step ‘as a teaser. Like so much Gqom it makes you want to dance, while having an unmistakable menace. The beat sounds like something horrific scratching at your door on a stormy night. Underneath runs a synthesiser reminiscent of a murderous robot haunting you through the flooded streets of future Durban, after the city has been lost to rising sea levels. It builds and builds and then suddenly drops out completely. In a masterful stroke, Lag leaves in a block of absent sound. Just as you think it’s over, it suddenly drives in again, going off into an unexpected but welcome conclusion. The step on this song is that feeling when you are about to fall asleep, but are awaken with a jolt as you imagine losing your footing. A sure-fire way to feel awake.

    And he has been honing this craft since a young age. His first introduction to recording was at age 12 when he went with his rapper cousin to a recording studio. Seeing a  producer at work making beats immediately hooked him in. It was a few years before he could get his own PC, but as soon as he did he started exploring the possibilities offered by Fruity Loops. His own musical progression is like a Darwinian microcosm of the evolution of Gqom itself. Beginning with hip hop he, then slid into kwaito. He then took a detour into a percussive house style. But hearing Gqom pioneers Naked Boyz for the first time locked him onto the deep new style that was breaking out in KZN around the turn of the decade. Since then, he has built up an impressive back catalogue of production, which keep the drive of Gqom while adding in deeper shades of nuance and sophistication.

    His EP comes at an interesting time for the style, as it is also sprouting new offshoots, such as the more pop orientated Gqom trap and it’s house cousin, Sghhubu.  In the early days of its coalescing into a distinct style, Gqom was characterized by a certain mystery. Young producers would put up songs fresh from being factory tested at intense backyard parties onto file sharing sites, without clear attribution or titles. This created issues of plagiarism, with rivals claiming credit for others tracks. As a result, artists at the styles forefront like Lag and Rudeboyz are taking control of their public image. It’s also a way to grow the genre by highlighting discographies, which the audience can watch evolve.  With his cinematic, emotional style DJ Lag is poised to become an internationally appreciated South African pioneer.

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  • Felix Laband- Digging Up The Dead

    In a cover feature he did with Bubblegum Club earlier this year, Felix Laband told us of his desire to push his music forward by making it more topical and confrontational. But sometimes you have to retrace your past steps to go forward. Dropping on the 30th of September, the Bag of Bones EP seems he taking a Janus-faced look at his past and future.

    At first, when I saw that the EP has provocative titles like Righteous Red Berets and Donkey Rattle- Kill The Boer I felt a lot of trepidation. There has been a tendency in South Africa for certain white artists to substitute racist stereotypes about African and post-colonial dysfunction for valid critiques of the present ( serial offenders include the writer Rian Malan and artist Anton Kannemeyer).  But while Laband’s accompanying EP notes acknowledge that South Africa is undergoing an unsettling period of change, he is coming from a more interesting space than boilerplate white panic ‘ the record speaks of hope, anger, love and dreams.’ Berets in fact draws its inspiration from beyond South Africa. The epic track is built around an emotive vocal sample of the great America murder ballad Stakerlee, which rests on a soft bed of warm synthesiser swells. It sounds positively elegiac, like a gospel song contoured for 2016.  But the vocals become even more unsettling, as samples of contemporary South African racism mix with dialogue about notorious cult leader and mass murderer Jim Jones. As with the horror movie lifts on his last album Deaf Safari, he combs the archive to mix horror and beauty. This extends to his own past , with a remix of his  most famous song Donkey Rattle modified to revolve around a sample of political action in 1960 Soweto.

    Amidst all the political background , the EP’s most satisfying song is it’s intimate title track. Bag of Bones is a warm collaboration with Shane Cooper of Cards on Spokes fame. Putting aside tension and conflict, it has a lovely pastoral feel. Overall, this is another great release by one of SA’s most consistently introducing producers which leaves you wanting more.

    Buy the Bag of Bones EP here