Mar 1 2015

Identity Heft, South Africa

By Jasper Berg

Song Artist Purchase
Stardust Hello Beautiful SoundCloud
Drinks & Music [feat. Okmalumkoolkat] (Cuebur remix) Tellaman Amazon
Rafael Beatenberg Amazon
Cut the Cake [feat. Moonchild] Maramza Amazon
La Llorna Amy Ayanda & Thor Rixon SoundCloud
Western Hours Booklub SoundCloud
Man Who Makes The Law Diamond Thug Bandcamp
Blue Screener Andy Islands Bandcamp
On The Low [feat. Okmalumkoolkat & Nonku Phiri] Card On Spokes Amazon
Dick Dastardly The Moths Bandcamp
Paraffin Bye Beneco Amazon
Gimme Ya Love Medicine Boy Amazon
Swim Together Beach Party Bandcamp
Chelsea Blakemore Beatenberg Amazon
Misery Belle [ft. Inge Beckmann] Thor Rixon Amazon
Electric Mountain Christian Tiger School SoundCloud
Shadows Petite Noir Amazon
Dare Tonight Gateway Drugs Amazon
Muizenberg John Wizards Amazon
Till We Ghosts Petite Noir Amazon
Zoom [feat. The Sound Supreme Kingz] Nomadic Orchestra Amazon
Mswenkofontein [feat. Okmalumkoolkat, Stilo Magolide & U_Sanele (Produced By Sibot)] Boyzn Bucks SoundCloud
Spaceship [feat. Diamond G] DJ Spoko Bandcamp
Give Me Your Love Gateway Drugs Amazon
Martian Jungle 7 Sylvan Aztok Bandcamp
Balkanto Nomadic Orchestra Amazon
Scrum Fever Trails Discogs
that exit Daddy Warbucks
Ucash [feat. Samthing Soweto] The Fridge SoundCloud
Lazy Eys Sakawa Boys Bandcamp
Run Beach Party Bandcamp
When I Was Tall Al Bairre Soundcloud
The Cynic's Surrender Albany Lore
Sinner Sutherland Soundcloud

This month's playlist is curated by Todomundo's Music Coordinator, Jasper Berg, who recently visited his family in Cape Town, South Africa.

While there isn’t much genre continuity, this month’s playlist represents an overall paradigm shift in popular music produced in South Africa.

Perhaps the reason why South African musicians have had little success in ‘the West’ is because there has been an expectation that it all needs to sound… you know… African. There had been a period where it seemed as though musicians were fascinated by the success of artists overseas, and looked to create music that would cater specifically to Western audiences. I couldn’t help but notice that in following that school of thought, the music suffered, and unfortunately, that particular model for success didn’t seem to work.

A few months ago, when I made my semi-annual visit to Cape Town to see my parents and extended family, I quickly developed a keen excitement for the general direction South African music seemed to be headed. The music sounded unique; all to its own. South African bands such as Beach Party, producers like Thor Rixon, and rappers like Okmalumkoolkat appear to be making music FOR South Africans. The music celebrates who they are as a people, as South Africans, with melodies, rhythms, and lyrics unique to that corner of the world. The desire for overseas success appears to have disappeared.

Photograph of Thor Rixon in an orange and blue long sleeve shirt and bright organge pants floating in a bright blue pool
Thor Rixon photographed by Katja Marr

Young South Africans seem to be realizing it’s not America for whom they need to make music, but for South Africa—a young nation, still evolving. The musicians are using music to navigate the incredibly rough waters of a country still very much figuring out what it is. This gives me all the more reason to share some selections from my latest trip, because I find the music and the heart behind it all so much more captivating than music being forced out to cater to a world not willing to even give it a chance. Except for Die Antwoord—they’ve done very well.

I’d love to thank my cousin Tourmaline and her brilliant colleagues at naasMUSIC for their suggestions and eager helping hand in acquiring some of these admittedly, hard-to-acquire tracks.

Enjoy!
Jasper Berg

Mar 1 2015

Identity Heft, South Africa

By Jasper Berg

Song Artist Purchase
Stardust Hello Beautiful SoundCloud
Drinks & Music [feat. Okmalumkoolkat] (Cuebur remix) Tellaman Amazon
Rafael Beatenberg Amazon
Cut the Cake [feat. Moonchild] Maramza Amazon
La Llorna Amy Ayanda & Thor Rixon SoundCloud
Western Hours Booklub SoundCloud
Man Who Makes The Law Diamond Thug Bandcamp
Blue Screener Andy Islands Bandcamp
On The Low [feat. Okmalumkoolkat & Nonku Phiri] Card On Spokes Amazon
Dick Dastardly The Moths Bandcamp
Paraffin Bye Beneco Amazon
Gimme Ya Love Medicine Boy Amazon
Swim Together Beach Party Bandcamp
Chelsea Blakemore Beatenberg Amazon
Misery Belle [ft. Inge Beckmann] Thor Rixon Amazon
Electric Mountain Christian Tiger School SoundCloud
Shadows Petite Noir Amazon
Dare Tonight Gateway Drugs Amazon
Muizenberg John Wizards Amazon
Till We Ghosts Petite Noir Amazon
Zoom [feat. The Sound Supreme Kingz] Nomadic Orchestra Amazon
Mswenkofontein [feat. Okmalumkoolkat, Stilo Magolide & U_Sanele (Produced By Sibot)] Boyzn Bucks SoundCloud
Spaceship [feat. Diamond G] DJ Spoko Bandcamp
Give Me Your Love Gateway Drugs Amazon
Martian Jungle 7 Sylvan Aztok Bandcamp
Balkanto Nomadic Orchestra Amazon
Scrum Fever Trails Discogs
that exit Daddy Warbucks
Ucash [feat. Samthing Soweto] The Fridge SoundCloud
Lazy Eys Sakawa Boys Bandcamp
Run Beach Party Bandcamp
When I Was Tall Al Bairre Soundcloud
The Cynic's Surrender Albany Lore
Sinner Sutherland Soundcloud

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