The potential relationship between gqom and grime reveal significant similarities between the two styles, with both arising from Black, urban spaces and driven by the disillusionment of radical Black youth culture. These similarities have begun to be explored by pioneers of both genres, the recent collaboration between DJ Lag and
Synthpop duo Magdalena Bay’s ongoing series of ‘minimix’ EPs are basically little, self-contained pop eras served at the speed of fibre for the attention span of the TikTok generation. It’s an intriguing and audacious experiment, made even bolder by the fact that music that makes up these dioramas happens to
Since February, singer-songwriter Marti West has released two singles, namely the vulnerable ‘Nobody Knows Me (Like You)’ and the hard-to-swallow ‘Somebody New’. Now, he returns with the culmination of it all, his self-reflective album Talking To Strangers. And the offering is best likened to a love letter. Let’s break it
On 2021’s Fire, The Bug returned with a violent reckoning, exploring the heat of rage through abrasive and intense dancehall mutations. Machine 1, the latest EP from the UK producer, takes a slightly different approach. Formulated especially for his conceptual soundsystem event PRESSURE, Machine 1 is a collection of four
Nau Leone began releasing a run of singles in September of 2022 when he dropped Nº1 Cambio, the first single to be made public from his then-pending album. Now, Nau Leone keeps us waiting no longer. That is to say, he has finally released his long-awaiting album titled Cambio via
The last time Nakhane entered the club, it was on Black Coffee’s guestlist. As the voice on the enduring dance floor anthem We Dance Again, Nakhane’s melancholy was the perfect foil to Black Coffee’s pulsating house. In the same way Nakhane’s clearest foremother ANOHNI lent soul to the synthesisers of
alternative R&B / art pop / baroque pop / funk / Nu-Disco / Synthpop
Omagoqa’s latest EP, an extension of last year’s Back To Ebombeni, is a reminder of the enduring power of the gqom genre in the face of the amapiano boom. The Durban-based trio, who have previously collaborated with the genre’s kingpin DJ Lag, are now the new keepers of the abrasive
Debby Friday’s debut album, GOOD LUCK, is a genre-fluid, experimental body of work that showcases the Nigerian-born, Montreal-raised artist’s personal growth and emotional depth. The album centres around Friday’s journey from the hedonistic rave scene to sobriety, a journey that is reflected in the album’s duelling themes of love and
Alt-Pop / experimental / industrial bass / Rave / Techno
Gumar, the latest EP from the sensational Fatima Al Qadiri, is a shimmering example of cultural fusion at its best. Her inclusion of Arabic culture and heritage in the otherwise whitewashed sphere of ambient and downtempo is a breath of fresh air, as was her early work which traversed the
After seven long years, M83’s new album Fantasy has finally arrived, and it’s a sonic journey that sees Anthony Gonzalez going in search of himself. The album marks a fusion of his past selves, blending the shoegaze style of Saturdays=Youth and Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming with some of the unconventional
