This is the first in a probable series of mixes highlighting supra-pukka contemporary music coming from Africa, with especial reference to South Africa. All comments, links and corrections to my meagre knowledge are more than welcomed.

There's a quote from Zola - huge TV, film and kwaito star in SA - where he says that South Africa is one of the only countries not to have a civil war after overturning an oppressive regime, and I think the music I'm highlighting serves to elucidate a form of change. What I like about kwaito and its derivations is that there's no blues within it, it's celebration music, the sound of joy, of expression being allowed and taken, and it's no surprise that house music became the format within which to express black South Africa's new found freedom. With that, of course, I'll start off the mix with a hiphop track :).



Every department of your mind is to be programmed by u and unless u assume your rightful responsibility and begin to programme your own mind the world will programme it for u, Volume One, a mistersloane mix.

http://www.divshare.com/download/2530646-d2b

Tracklisting :

Denzlyn, Jemilla and Zarijess from Paternoster




Denzlyn, Jemilla and Zarijess were three kids we met on a beach in Paternoster, up the coast from Capetown. They ran over to us and sang us songs in exchange for sweets. Once they were on it, getting them off the mic was hard.

How We Roll : KONFAB feat. Jaak (off Planetary Assault)
KONFAB is signed to Pioneer Unit, brainchild of Damian Stephens aka Dplanet, whose compilation CD this is off. CD is a bit samey due to production of the beats being done by just Stephens, he woulda done better to shop some of them out, but its his baby, he can fuck it how he wants.
http://www.pioneerunit.com
www.myspace.com/dplanetbeats

Andapende : Brikz (off Face Brick)
The first track of many produced by DJ Cleo in this mix. Brickz is from Zola, and grew up as friends with Mapaputsi, cutting his teeth on Mapaputzi's first two CDs before hooking up with Cleo. This is a song about underpants.
http://brickz.calabashmusic.com
http://www.djcleo.co.za/content/view/14/42/

Oboma anda pende : Amakoporosh
Group consisting of Qbio( Sinewave director and head producer, also one half of Ignition) Khulia and Kamza, signed by Cleo to his Will Of Steel Productions. Any more tracks or info on them would be appreciated, they kill this version.
http://www.mio.co.za/article.php?cat=&id=965

Do It : Bleksom
Can't find out much about this guy, from this article it seems to be DJ Cleo rapping under an alias.
http://www.mio.co.za/article.php?cat=&id=1077

Sister Bethina : Mgarimbe
This tune is laaaaaarge. Great story of it being recorded live drunk in a Jozi club and subsequently bootlegged. The lyrics are apparently filthy, if anyone can do a translation :)
http://www.mio.co.za/printpage.php?article=836
http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3506541

Dikuku Tsa Mumsy : DJ Walker featuring Senyaka
I love Senyaka, he has the best voice. He's an old school brer and this is an older track but it kicks. Timbaland wishes he could do this.
http://www.oneworld.co.za/SearchResults.asp?uref=&Artist=Dj%20Walker&OrderID=&AffiliateID=&Section=oneworld




Denzlyn, Jemilla and Zarijess from Paternoster

Extension 2 : DJ Cleo (off Es'khaleni Ext. 2)
Kicking into a more Durban dance phase of the mix, mostly from DJ Cleo's exemplary Es'khaleni series. Not much to say except buy all four. Cleo started off as a DJ for Ashifa Shabba's Club Y Show on YFM in 2000, which spawned a whole scene around it. There's a great essay on Y culture by Lara Allen here :
http://www.africanstudies.uct.ac.za/downloads/30_2allen_p82.zip
(first found off a comment by http://southafricanchoirgirl.blogspot.com/ on www.wayneandwax.com)
http://djcleo.calabashmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/ghettoruff

Bloemfontein Funk : DJ Cleo (off Es'khaleni Zone 3)
I'd love to hear Tinchy Stryder on this. Weirdly, aside from Dizzee's stuff, his was the only grime CD for sale I saw, which someone might wanna tell him about, he's cute enough for the SA girls to go crayzeee about him, and I'd love to see one of the UK lot go large there. Someone get his videos on Channel O immediately, Logan, they'd die for Rapid's more disco productions as well.

Gabz To Mbabane : DJ Cleo (off Es'khaleni Zone 3)
This is my tune right here. Massive. Just too good.

Ndiya Ndiya : Zulu Naja
The breakdown on this is unfeasible.

Durbans Dance : DJ Cleo ( off Es'Khaleni)

Feel The Music Ft Theo : Revolution (off 4U)
Big tune. The video has all these kids piling out of the back of a truck and dancing in the streets, Party Monster style.
http://www.mio.co.za/article.php?cat=&id=828
http://www.take2.co.za/product.php?id=2138204

Love Me Tonite(Just For Tonite) : DJ Bobo
Not the DJ Bobo of Swiss entry to Eurovision in 2007 fame, but this one :
http://www.mio.co.za/article.php?cat=&id=773

I May : Dj Cleo feat Jodi Gold (off E,Skhaleni Phase 4)
The chorus makes me cry. One for the laydeez.

Goodbye : DJ Cleo ft DJ What What ( off Es'khaleni Ext. 2)
What yer gonna do? Take Carmella Soprano's favourite tune, add some Durban spice, and watch it roll. This tune makes me want to dye poodles pink and throw them out of car windows at unsuspecting pedestrians. Drive-by poodles. Gay boys go MAD for it. We got thumbs up from guys in taxis everywhere when we were blasting it in the car. Sharp.

Denzlyn, Jemilla and Zarijess from Paternoster



Text and mix by Jim Hollands
Photographs by Dr Paddy Glackin
Recorded in one take using Traktor, Mackie 1202, minidisc, Kaoss pad, 27.10.07