We spread our wings wider this month, and unearthed gems from South Africa, Zambia, Lesotho and Malawi. Our bag contains Zamrock, hip-hop, Afro-tech, gqom, R&B, and everything else in between. Jump right in.
Selaelo Selota — “Thrrr… Phaaa! (DESIREE Remix)” (South Africa)
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Selaelo Selota – Thrrr… Phaaa! (DESIREE Remix) (Official Audio)
Acclaimed South African DJ and producer, DESIREE has taken a certified South African classic and deconstructed its Afro-jazz-leaning roots to produce a funk-laden, upbeat, electronic smash. DESIREE had initially intended this as an edit, but the Malopo spirits that imbue the original had plans of their own. She hosted a listening session during which she shared that she was attracted to the song due to the shared Sepedi ancestry between herself and Selaelo Selota. Roots go deeper and, as the remix attests, roots know no genre.
DJ Lag — “Oke Oke” feat. Jazz Alonso (South Africa/Spain)
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DJ Lag – Oke Oke ft. Jazz Alonso
DJ Lag is the blueprint as far as electronic music in South Africa is concerned. The Durban native has been unleashing timeless bangers for a decade, and his operation accelerates with every release. DJ Lag tests waters (“Overdue”), sticks to the formula (“Where’s Your Father”), and cross-pollinates sounds (“Drumming”). His latest drop might elevate him onto the Ibiza circuit and open up a door for him to become the only gqom progenitor blazing dancefloors at the highest level. “Oke Oke” is iconic!
Crispy Malawi — “Uzithamanga” (South Africa)
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Crispy Malawi – Uzithamanga (Director’s Cut)
Everything Crispy Malawi has going on right now has been the work of consistency, self-belief and a magnetism that endears people to his music. The Lilongwe native’s approach to rap can be described as super chill; he approaches flows with a relaxed attitude that allows the mind to travel. “Uzithamanga” forms a series of drops that he and his Mario Bros collective have been unleashing since the on-set of 2023. This newly-released director’s cut breathes fresh air into an old-ish song, and is an unassuming display of style and swagger set against the backdrop of a Savanna countryside. Crispy Malawi’s one of the few rappers out now who can make a laid back joint about running and still have campuses countrywide turn up when he performs it. One to watch, for sure.
Tio Nason — “Blessings” (Zambia)
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Tio Nason – Blessings (Lyric Video)
Zambia’s Tio Nason has been on the road with Sampa the Great for the past two years. He returns with this Afrobeats bop to reassert his position, and to remind people that his 10 year-plus presence on the scene is no accident.
Wave Rhyder — “Duma Hlooho” (Lesotho)
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Duma Hlooho
Lesotho’s Wave Rhyder speaks about the dilemma that faces men who decide to have multiple partners in different areas, speaking openly about the multiple types of women he’s attracted to. He does admit that he’s not saying that it’s okay to cheat, but these things do happen (“Ha ke re ntho’e neng ke e etsa e n’e nepahetse/ ke mpa ke re feela ntho tsena li na le ho etsahala/”). Wave Rhyder is part of a tradition of Lesotho hip-hop artists who have long been experimenting with elements of traditional Sesotho music. The new crop of musicians are fusing trap elements with the accordion, in effect creating a new sonic expression.
Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O — “Mabrrrrrrrrr” (South Africa)TRUE STORY by Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O
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MaBrrrrrrrrr, by Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O
“Mabrrrrrrrrr” is his second single from True Story, the forthcoming sophomore album that finds him eschewing the sound and direction of his debut, Umdali, in search of a sonic expression that tests the limits of Mzansi Jazz. “Mabrrrrrrrrr” draws from Jazz, sure, but injects a dance sensibility that is very much South African.
Mpho Sebina — “Tshepo” (Botswana)
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Mpho Sebina – Tshepo (Official Visualiser)
“What keeps you up at night? / darling, always remember that you are a diamond light,” sings Botswana’s golden voice, Mpho Sebina, on her latest song. It’s a self-love mantra, a reclamation of her strength following loss and grief, and an assertion of her self-belief. The song is in line with Sebina’s past work, which references sonic archives from the past ( see “Lerato”)… In this case, she uses the Dalom Kids’ “Ditsala Tsa Me” as inspiration, and proceeds to craft a breathtaking bop that demands repeated spins.
Mumba Yachi — “Wala Wala” (Zambia)
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Wala Wala
Congolese-Zambian musician Mumba Yachi’s “Wala Wala” injects some Zamrock and updates the rapper Chef 187’s 2015 hit of the same name. It’s a song that portrays the feeling of ticking all the boxes in life, yet still falling short of achieving one’s dreams. The dread that accompanies that is a universal feeling, which is why Mumba Yachi’s rugged-at-the-edges update rings well and true in a world that keeps rejecting hope and favoring violence.
ASAP Shembe — “Impilo Ka Lova” (South Africa)
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ASAP Shembe – Impilo Ka Lova (Official Music Video)
The East Rand of Gauteng holds a peculiar place in South African history. It was the home of some of the greatest musical luminaries that emerged from the country in the 1970s, and the location of the violent uprising in the lead-up to the elections in 1994. This duality—musical excellence on one side and political violence on the other—has filtered into the present moment. It’s this history that ASAP Shembe taps into sonically, and visually portrays. “Impilo Ka Lova” speaks to the stark reality of ghetto life, where rampant crime continues unabated, and is oftentimes seen as the only way out in a country where opportunities are rare. Shembe’s flow is a counter-balance to the contemporary sound in Mzansi rap; he’s gritty, he tests boundaries, and he insists on standing out.
Sjava “Ngibongiseni”
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Sjava – Ngibongiseni (Official Audio)
Sjava’s had an incredible run, yet the past year or so has witnessed him ascend to new heights. It’s in this spirit of constant wins that “Ngibongiseni” exists. It’s him inviting us to congratulate him on all that his ancestors have done for him. The song is among the four from his re-released deluxe package from 2023’s Isibuko, and revels in the wavvy alt-pop that has captivated new listeners without losing his old base.
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Publish date : 2024-05-30 15:41:15
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