Die Heuwels Fantasties – Our Heritage
Hip indie dance rock combo celebrate Heritage Day (aka Braai Day) by hooking up with heavyweight hip-hop players HHP and JR, and the Grammy winning Soweto Gospel Choir. It’s a contagiously fun colab with Die Heuwels’ Pierre Greeff singing in English, HHP and JR keeping it real and the Soweto Gospel Choir adding their soaring African harmonies: “So it’s a flyday. We call it a braai day….”
Koos Kombuis – Lisa se Klavier
Legendary singer songwriter maps the moment he morphed from Andre Letoit into mythical alternative Afrikaans troubadour Koos Kombuis on this classic Voelvry-era acoustic ballad off his excellent debut, ‘Niemandsland & Beyond!’.
The Genuines – Struggle
Mac McKenzie (guitar), Hilton Schilder (piano) and Ian Herman (drums) kick out this goema-punk rock protest blast from the past. Off the ‘Shotdown: Resistance Music from Apartheid South Africa’ soundtrack compilation album released by the seminal Shifty Records.
Felix Laband – Run Alive Run
Pioneering South African illetronica composer shares this dreamy downtempo sigh off his now classic debut album, ‘Thin Shoes in June’. Or as his label African Dope put it: “File under: lay me in a hammock with a phat one”.
Righard Kapp – Strung Like a Compound Eye
Avant-garde guitarist shelves his ‘intention-deficit-disordered’ excesses and explores some bewitching nu-folk frequencies on this exploratory acoustic gem off his critically-acclaimed new album.
National Wake – Walk in Africa
A classic SA track from one of the more politicised and energetic multiracial rock groups playing the clubs of Hillbrow in the 80s.
7th Son – The One
“He’s the one who sees it all” declare Mother City ska-rockers on this brassy skank ‘n shred about a guy waiting to take his dream girl’s breath away. A little bit ’emo’? Maybe, but with some big cajones, bru. Off their excellent new album, ‘Ontology’.
Piet Botha – Suitcase Vol Winter
“‘n vrou sal jy dood maak as sy kwaad is in ‘n donker kamer met ‘n haelgeweer” cautions the original mystic blues rock boer on this haunting tale of going nowhere slowly fast. It’s the title track off his recently remastered and reissued classic album.
New Holland – Something To Believe In
Bored by those Bellville Rock City stereotypes? Well, if this breezy new exclusive single off their forthcoming album is any indication, then these upwardly mobile Stellenbosch indie rockers are destined for the big time.
aKING – The Heart Of A Fool
“I know my language has always been my limit…/the heart of the fool lives inside of his mouth,” serenades Laudo on this spanking new symphonic rock power ballad off the indie rock darlings’ brand new CD, ‘Against All Odds’. Produced by the multiple award-winning Theo Crous.
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