During lockdown you may have been lucky enough to catch the viral phone video of nine young South African men singing a heart-bursting song called ‘Too Late For Mama’ a capella in a darkened room. These wonderful singers are Soweto’s Diepkloof United Voice and thanks to New York’s Ostinato Records (who discovered them via said video), they now have a debut album coming out in November. The word ‘essential’ gets way overused in the hype game of musical releases but this really is. The combined voices of this new generation of Mzansi gospel singers is a gift. Read / Listen..
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Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years compiled by John Armstrong
The ‘Bubblegum’ sounds of 80’s Black South Africa was a broad church of celebratory dance music fuelled by new technology and an escapist need to party during the last hellish years of the vile Apartheid regime. Somehow some of the happiest sounding music ever was created during the hardest of times and this forthcoming compilation by legendary curator John Armstrong for BBE contains the signposts for what would become SA’s particular brands of House music (Kwaito, SA House, Amapiano, Gqom etc). We asked John a few questions about the background to the record. Read / Listen
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Felix Laband 'The Soft White Hand' (Compost Records) - a review (& track preview!)
South African producer and artist Felix Laband’s new album for Compost Records is a unique combination of 4/4 grooves, cut-up techniques and social commentary. Blessed with bright as day production and a visual artist’s eye for the obtuse, it’s an exceptional listen. Includes the first play of ‘7 Rise 7 House’! Read / Listen
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The Paxton/Spangler Septet 'Ugqozi' (Eastlawn Records) - a review
With over thirty years of studying and playing the uniquely joyful jazz of South Africa, RJ Spangler and T-Bone Paxton once again take their septet on a beautiful trip through the music of some of SA’s greatest composers. Compositions from Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim and Brotherhood Of Breath have new dimensions explored and there’s even a fresh take on Fela’s ‘Water Get No Enemy’ that sounds like Brian Jackson is jamming with the King of Afrobeat. A great release. Read / Listen
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Photo: Justice Mukheli
Urban Village 'Udondolo' (Nø Førmat!) - a review
The debut album ‘Udondolo’ by the Soweto four-piece Urban Village is a wonderful multilingual journey of positivity through a diverse palette of South African folk traditions and modern musical forms. Maskandi, Zulu Rock and Marabi to funk and jazz, an identity shaped by the melting pot of the metropolitan squeeze of Johannesburg’s most famous Township. This is a peach of a record and will be released next week on the brilliant French label Nø Førmat!. Read / Listen here……….
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