BPM Magazine Nov/Dec'13 by BPM Magazine

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ISSUE 70

TH YEAR E D I T I O N

MI CASA

Making house their home

Hardwell Talks ahead of his SA Tour...

THE BLOODY BEETROOTS BAKERMAT TUBE & BERGER YOTOPIA CLASSYMENACE DA CAPO KID FONQUE

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PEOPLE

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NOV/DEC 2013 EDITION 70

CONTENTS

26 28 30 32 34

SALES & ADVERTISING ENQUIRES: Thomas Whitebread (021) 913-9443 | 082 889-2047 Dave McKinley (021) 557-1549 | 084 209-0168 SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE: subscribe@bpmmag.co.za Never miss a copy! Receive your personal copy SA’s only FREE magazine dedicated in promoting Live Music, FIRST! MAGAZINE ENQUIRIES: info@bpmmag.co.za BPM Mag is published six times per Annum in SA only

@ BPMMAG.CO.ZA TOP 10 URBAN HOUSE PRODUCERS IN SA

The South African house scene is growing at an alarming and equally pleasing rate. We’ve steadily risen to become a force to be reckoned with and a music authority in our own right. These local maestros have played a quintessential role in the South African house scene and without them we almost certainly ...

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT KERRI CHANDLER

At the end of November and beginning of December Kerry will join Quentin Harris for a 2 city tour of South Africa as part of the Heineken® Star Club - a series of exclusive shows debuting in South Africa with a host of iconic DJs. Here are 5 things you may not have known about this deep house icon…

HOT SINCE 82’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK

WANT TO STAY INFORMED? Join our newsletter! Simply email the words ‘Beats People Music’ to bpminfo@eject.co.za

Hot Since 82 may just have had his hottest year yet. In the past 12 months he has taken remixes to another level. His Green Velvet, Rudimental and Shadow Child reworks have become anthems in their own right. He’s played almost every major Ibiza party...

No part of this magazine may be imitated or reproduced in whole / in part or online, without the permission of BPM Magazine. Any views, opinions & visual material expressed in BPM Magazine cc. by contributors are not necessarily shared by the BPM Magazine or its staff. We do not accept responsibility for any omissions or mistakes, as we do everything possible to make sure all information published is accurate.

INTERVIEW: PAUL OAKENFOLD

36 38 40 42 46 48 50 54 55 58

EDITORS NOTE & CONTRIBUTORS THE WALL MUSIC NEWS THE LITTLE MISFIT MI CASA: MAKING HOUSE THEIR HOME HARDWELL'S DREAMY REALITY CLASSYMENACE THE BLOODY BEETROOTS: ELECTRONIC IS THE NEW ROCK N ROLL BAKERMAT LIFE IN 'YOTOPIA' MORGAN BEATBOX: A REAL MOUTHFUL TUBE AND BERGER:VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIC KID FONQUE: PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY IFANI: A RAPPER ON THE RISE… THE DEEP END WITH LUO 5 MINUTES WITH... DA CAPO UHURU: THE SOUND OF FREEDOM ALBUM REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWS ALBUM REVIEWS DJ TOP TEN CHARTS PARTY INFO & EVENTS ASTROBABBLE - SCORPIO & SAGITARIUS

READ THESE AND OTHER INTERESTING STORIES ONLINE

DISTRIBUTION: BPM is nationally distributed to over 300 carefully selected outlets ranging from: Retailers of Musical Instruments Gear & Equipment, Studios, Colleges & Varsities, selected live music venues and more... To find your nearest outlet email: info@bpmmag.co.za MAGAZINE TEMPLATE DESIGN: Johann M Smith johannmartinsmith@gmail.com

04 06 07 10 12 16 20 24

Paul Oakenfold must tire of being called a living legend. It’s a term often reserved for those past their prime, but this down to earth, world famous DJ (how many other DJs can claim to be household names), is far from past it. As I write this, he is one day away from Luminosity presents: Perfecto Fluoro & Friends, a psytrance night he is hosting at the Amsterdam Dance Event 2013...

EDITOR’S NOTE AMSTERDAMAGED ast month I had the opportunity to attend the Amsterdam Dance Event [ADE], Europe’s largest dance music conference and festival. Actually it may well be the biggest event of this type worldwide, with two others, the Miami Winter Music Conference and The Ibiza Music Summit also springing to mind. Locally Black Mango launched the Breathe Sunshine Music Conference at Easter this year in Cape Town. In 2014 this Cape Town conference will take place in February [14 & 15] and after attending ADE I now fully see the vision that our local counterparts have. There are several things that make ADE special and there were also several lasting moments that made it a highlight for me personally too. As an event/conference/festival - it’s all these rolled up in one - the first and very special thing about ADE is Amsterdam. What a city. Aside from all the funny quips about the Red Light District and the Coffee Shops [where you can buy weed legally and smoke it], the city itself is a wonderful mix of old Europe and first world services. Couple this with the most polite and sensible people I’ve yet to meet from one single country and you have the perfect setting for an international event such as ADE. What was also impressive is the number of venues available for events - 80 in total. But get this... every single bar/club/restaurant had kickass sound and lighting an example being a restaurant just 10 minutes walk from our hotel at which Osunlade played - had not one but two Funktion One sound rigs [upstairs and downstairs]! Whilst not quite a who’s who of the electronic music world - I can think of many significant performers who were not there - it’s pretty close and although up to half the events are dominated by EDM and club trance - there is indeed something there for everybody to see. There was a pretty big South African contingent this year and some of us made it our point to see as many of our countrymen perform as possible and show support. These included Black Coffee, Kid Fonque [featured on Pg. 34] and Dyloxclusiv vs. SirVincentSA who all killed it at the Bridges for Music - Boilerroom.tv event. I witnessed firsthand the impact of our deep house music on the global scene and I assure you it is fresh, fresh, fresh! Techno stalwart, Luciano, bless his soul, was decidedly flat after Black Coffee. It was a case of “ho hum, I’ve heard this all before,” not the techno DJ’s fault mind you nobody would have compared to the magical sounds of Africa that night! We also got to see Goldfish play to a sold-out venue [easily 5,000 or more] and deliver a blistering set which even had Dom sitting at the grand piano for 1 or 2 songs. It was a special night - a young Dutch camera assistant with us, who’d never heard of Goldfish, was totally blown away to see all his compatriots singing along and going crazy to the duo’s songs. We got to pop in and say hi to Jullian Gomes at the Supperlcub, who was performing with Atjazz that night, and I also danced nonstop to Culoe De Song at the Innervisions Label party which was jam-packed. Officially I was there as part of a panel discussion [it wasn’t all just parties and fun], called Meet the South Africans, at which several of us protagonists of the South African scene got to discuss publicly the state of the industry in our country and present this to the world. If you’d like to know who all sat on the panel you can visit our website and search ‘Meet the South Africans’. So what did I learn? Firstly that the music coming from South Africa is fresh and they want more of it overseas... way more. It also reaffirmed what I have always maintained - sound in a venue is the single most important piece of infrastructure necessary. And lastly, we need a similar type event here in South Africa and the Breathe Sunshine Music Conference may just be the answer to that. Let’s support and build together... what we have here is very, very special right now.

DAVE MAC Editor-in-Chief Find me here: dave@bpmmag.co.za | Twitter: davemac77 Facebook: dave.mac.mckinley BPM Magazine: Facebook: facebook.com/bpmmag Twitter: twitter.com/bpmmag

‘Meet the South Africans’ ADE Panellists

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: FEATURE WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS Johann M Smith - Johann M Smith isn’t your average EDM lover. His experience as a rock ‘n’ roll journalist and drummer gives him an outsider’s point of view and no doubt allows for a fresh breath of life in the world of electronic music.

The Little Misfit - The Little Misfit is an anonymous observer who has been around the electronic music scene for more years than most. She’s seen it all, done it all and has the tales to tell. Not much surprises her any more although she is still wholly excited by music, dancing and socialising within this scene. It’s with this passion and experience that she casts a slightly jaundiced, feminine eye on the many components that add spice to Cape Town EDM Culture. Tendai Luwo - Recovering blueberry muffin addict, dj, remixer and voice over artist, Luo first firmly sank his teeth into music while working for Rhodes Music Radio (RMR 89.7fm) in 2009 and has never looked back since. Now a loyal disciple of all things deep and soulful, He can be found roaming the streets and alleyways searching for his next dose of good 'ol house music. Nathan Kabingesi - Nathan is a selfconfessed house junkie; you can usually spot him in a corner of the dance floor getting high off the DJ's supply. Appreciating the finely spun mix, he's not shy about calling out the occasional slip of the needle. Expect incisive and considered opinions on everything from the latest album releases to trend developments in the world of EDM. Ethan Storm - Ethan Storm has had a passion for two things since he was just a kid - music and writing. Nowadays, he has combined his love for both into one, producing articles from the perspectives of both the music lover and the music maker. Dave Skinz - DJ, Music Manufacturer, Wordsmith, Record Store owner, Promoter, and gamer par excellence are some of the multi-faceted roles that Skinz has played in his 15 year love affair with dance music. When not indulging himself in MMA footage and band practice, he spends his time waiting for Arsenal to take the treble. www.daveskinz.com Donovan Leon - Donovan Leon is a Producer/ Engineer for DCL Studios and has had the opportunity to work and collaborate with many top artists & producers such as: Crighton Goodwill, Robin C Khol, L’loyd Cele, Jamali, CH2, Denim, Thembi Seete (Boom Shaka), Kwesta, Zubz, Sasha P (Nigeria), Jae, Ziyon (Liquid Deep), Verona, 37MPH and many, many more.

THE WALL

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ESP @ESPNightClub #Halloween #Weekend | https://www.facebook.com/events/5444839989625 94/ …> #ProgPsyTrance + #House + #MorningSessions @jhblive @BPMMAG @Where2PartyJhb @MyCityByNight

GoodLuck Music and Just Music retweeted you @Goodlucklive's new album #CreaturesOfTheNight drops this Friday. Here's one good reason why you should pre-order http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/new-videogoodluck-trickery/ …

Klipdrift Premium and 4 others retweeted you @MTVbaseAfrica & @K_Premium to burn up #Durban with @MiCasaMusic @LiquideepSA #Busiswa & more. http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/mtv-baseklipdrift-smooth-sessions/ #UrbanSmoothSessions

BPM Magazine @BPMMAG @DJQbert @DJReadyD @CRAZEARONI @djniffty @djshiftee @djthacutt looks like you guys have some competition… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDRSX2P22Nc Tha Cutt and 7 others retweeted you @DJQbert @DJReadyD @CRAZEARONI @djniffty @djshiftee @djthacutt looks like you guys have some competition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDRSX2P22Nc

Mario_254 @mario_254 254 content http://youtu.be/4pPlIYlr6o4 @BPMMAG Yucatech Music and 9 others retweeted you @MPIProject & @Grimehouse_SA join talents for We Love Bass Vol 2. Out soon http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/we-lovebass-vol-2/ … @MonsterEnergySA @SonyMusicAfrica Heineken SouthAfrica retweeted you 5 things you don't know about @Heineken_SA Star Club's headliner @KerriChandler http://bpmmag.co.za/featured/5-things-know-kerrichandler/ JULLiAN GOMES and Keledwaba retweeted you @RealBlackCoffee @CuloeDeSong & @JULLiAN_GOMES to mentor 30 artists at @RedBullZA's prestigious #BassCampZA http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/red-bullmusic-academy-bass-camp/ … #RBMA

DJ Niffty @djniffty @BPMMAG @DJQbert @DJReadyD @CRAZEARONI @djshiftee @djthacutt someone should break his fingers or smack him with his laptop lols #epicdjfail

Culoe De Song retweeted a Tweet you were mentioned in @CuloeDeSong I've been meaning to tell you since back from @ade_nl that your @innrvsns label party set was sublime. Danced nonstop. @bpmmag Quentin Harris and Nwabisa retweeted you #HeinekenLiveAccess to stage @Heineken_SA Star Club with internationals @KerriChandler & @Quentin_Harris > http://shar.es/IXe9I Black Mango @blackmangomusic Thanks @BPMMAG! http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/breathesunshine-sessions-langa/ #BreatheSunshineSessionsLanga ARTISTS ONLY ! Music @ArtistsOnly @themusicninja @TheWideBoys @1Xtra @BBCR1 @BPMMAG PHOTO:: @DANKofficial's SOLD OUT SHOW @ClubAmazura #NewYork pic.twitter.com/fCzSat8mSN

Bigger Than Me and Greg Viljoen favorited a Tweet you were mentioned in @bridgesformusic @blackmangomusic @SirVincentSA @DikelaNoni @biggerthanmeZA @BPMMAG @BSunshineAfrica @CityVisionLive pic.twitter.com/r2SiGM3lfY

Umvangeli and LangaZulu retweeted you 26 Oct: #HeinekenLiveAccess brings @Heineken_SA Star Club with internationals @KerriChandler & @Quentin_Harris this summer http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/heinekenstar-club-sa-summer/

Mi Casa retweeted you @MiCasaMusic you guys are gonna break the record for the most album launches ever. good luck tonight. ;) @whisky_dj 1. Tender Luo @Luo_T This probably contradicts my previous tweet but, pizza. Beer and Modern Family! Say whaaaat! *whoop whoop* (I hang around Rose too much) 2. BPM Magazine @BPMMAG @Luo_T bet it's craft beer too ;) 3. Tender Luo @Luo_T @BPMMAG haha! You know me too well (._. )

Yule Darq @YuleD #olmecascsession http://bpmmag.co.za/news/musicnews/soul-candi-session-tickets/ … from @BPMMAG , ticket give away ... pic.twitter.com/XuLW8bU6Li

Chris Palmer retweeted you Looking for new #DJheadphones? Check out@VestaxHQs' HMX-05 offering http://bpmmag.co.za/tech_news/focus-on-newproducts/vestax-hmx-05-headphones/ … Dave Mac Mckinley @davemac77 @CuloeDeSong I've been meaning to tell you since back from @ade_nl that your @innrvsns label party set was sublime. Danced nonstop. @Bpmmag

#SurrealSelections and #SurrealSelections retweeted a Tweet you were mentioned in So excited for the @BPMMAG feature w/ @DacapoSA @PunkMbedzi & this thing called #SurrealSelectionsVol1 @Surreal_Sounds :-D Soul Candi Records retweeted you Catch @SoulCandi and @OlmecaTequilaSA making rounds on the 3-city #OlmecaSCSessions tour this October & November http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/soul-candisessions-2014-sa-tour/ … Dave Mac Mckinley @davemac77 @GoldFishLive - Now that was proper. Great set last night boys. @BPMMAG @SonyMusicAfrica - the new tunes are rocking. #proudsouthafrican Olmeca Tequila SA @OlmecaTequilaSA RT @BPMMAG: @OlmecaTequilaSA to present @SoulCandi Sessions 2014 3-city tour ft. @euphonik, @MiCasaMusic, @ruffest1 http://bpmmag.co.za/news/music-news/soul-candisessions-2014-sa-tour/ …

Culoe De Song @CuloeDeSong @davemac77 @ADE_NL @innrvsns @BPMMAG THANK YOU!!!

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THE NEWS

THE LATEST CLUB AND DANCE MUSIC NEWS FROM SA AND AROUND THE WORLD FOR DAILY NEWS UPDATES CHECKOUT WWW.BPMMAG.CO.ZA OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER facebook.com/bpmmag | twitter.com/bpmmag

RELEASE NEWS FROM SOULCANDI many music channels. Providing a balanced combination of soulful house chords, melodic vocals and tribal drums, this album proves that DJ Qness is back with a vengeance!

SOUL CANDI SESSIONS 2014

EUPHONIK - FOR THE LOVE OF HOUSE To say that Euphonik is a powerhouse when it comes to launching incredible house albums is no exaggeration considering all of his albums have acquired Gold status. His newest offering, For The Love of House, will prove to be no exception to this. This much loved radio personality, well known for his entertaining shows on 5FM promises his followers a self-produced album with a strong local focus. A must have album for all house heads!

After a 2-year hiatus, The Soul Candi Sessions are back - and they haven’t lost a thing in the interim. Soul Candi Sessions 2014 returns packed with all the things you have come to expect from the seminal series. Soul Candi Sessions 2014 is an aural feast: 5 discs of world-class house music from local luminaries Claude, Euphonik and Harael Salkow as well as bright new stars DJ Game and Vaalsow. Each has contributed a disc of music which will take you - the listener, deep into their record bags and studios.

METRO FM LOUNGE - MIXED BY DJ MLU AND VJ NUTTY Mixed by SA’s favourites, DJ Mlu and VJ Nutty, Metro FM Lounge promises to provide mellow house beats that soothe the soul. Supplying the perfect lounge beats for a chilled, downtempo evening, this two-disc album features all the hottest tracks from the local artists we love. Songs to look out for on this album include Heavenly Sent - Mi Casa, The Party After - Muzart and You Know What You Mean to Me - The Layders, to mention only a few!

DEEPER SOUNDS OF

QNESS - ON CUE VOL 3 DJ Qness is finally back with his third instalment to the “On Cue” series. His first single from the album, Everything, is already making waves in the industry with high rotation among popular radio stations while the video is receiving favourable airtime on

As most house connoisseurs will remember, the Deeper Sounds Of series was a compilation album launched under USM Records featuring established South African DJs from 2002 through to 2006. Following the success of this series, Soul Candi/F! Records bought over and redefined the widely-loved brand. Incorporating fresh artists and creating a modern sexy twist on the artwork, the Deeper Sounds Of series has been brought back to life. The brand has been rejuvenated with a star-dazzling line-up featuring the deep house legends Clive Bean, Nick Essential and Kevin Grenfell. Look out for the nationwide tour happening soon!

MUSIC NEWS

VORTEX SA 2013 OPEN SOURCE 05 - 09 December 2013 - Cape Town / South Africa

5 Days Of Sun, Fun, Music & Magical Adventures… Open Source is a collaboration of likeminded, dedicated party organisers committed to the revival of an authentic and profoundly transformative vibe in the outdoor party scene. This is realized, they say, through their unique family gathering in the magical realms of the Circle of Dreams, a river and forest camping setting located near the bewitching Mother City of Cape Town, on the Southern tip of Africa. The Psy-Trance Community is an

expression of this integrated remix culture and holds exceptional power and responsibility for unity, harmony and global respect. Says Vortex, “we believe that by aligning with the open source paradigm we can unlock this potential as a radical catalyst for change. As small as this change may be, we recognize the significance of every creative element in the bigger picture.” Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/vortex.trance.a dventures?ref=ts&fref=ts Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheVortexSource

Carl Cox for New Year’s Eve – Cape Town Electric Music has had a busy winter [see below] as they also announced their Electric NYE Ball featuring none other than the legend Carl Cox. The iconic, triple-deck master should need no introduction to South Africa’s dance music lovers - for many his return is long overdue. The Electric NYE ball 2014 will be taking place at the CTICC, which will be transformed into a wonderland of world class production for one night only. Considering the résumé Electric Music is steadily building [Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, Hardwell], it leaves little doubt that this should be another massive event.

Ultra Festival announced for 4February 2014

I AM HARDWELL Tour Hits South Arica

Possibly the worst kept secret in EDM circles, it was finally announced late last month that the Ultra Music Festival, the USA’s biggest dance music event will be held in Cape Town and Joburg on 14 and 15 February, respectively. Announced by Electric Music, (yup, we did say they’ve been busy this winter) they maintain that Ultra Festival will be “by far the biggest event of its kind on the African continent. ”Having established colossal events in Miami, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Korea, Croatia and sunny Ibiza in the last 15 years, Ultra South Africa will become the 8th international edition of the super festival making it one of the most premier international festival brands in the world. International headliners billed for SA include, Tiësto, Nicky Romero, Alesso, Krewella and W&W. Local superstars, Goldfish, Black Coffee, Mi Casa and legendary partners in crime Euphonik & DJ Fresh (F.eU) join them.

Brought to South Africa by Electric Music, EDM wunderkind Hardwell rolls into town this December for his three-city tour and it promises to be big. Kicking off with a DJ set at the Wavehouse in Durban [5 Dec] at which he has gone on record as saying he will be “doing something special”’ but would not be drawn into revealing details in our interview on Pg. 16. He’ll then play the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town [6 Dec] before his grand finale at H2O, Wild Waters, Johannesburg on 7 December. The Cape Town and Joburg sets will be full I AM HARDWELL sets. Recently voted No.1 on the annual DJ MAG poll, his star has been on the rise ever since his first public appearances at the age of 16. Bakermat, featured on Pg. 26 will also play at the H2O event as well as Dannic [all cities], Hardwell's label mate.

For full details on all these events go to BPMMAG.co.za

LOVE & LIGHT TO BRING THREE TOP PROGRESSIVE ARTISTS THIS SUMMER The event that could just possibly be credited with triggering the massive influx of progressive trance artists appearing on almost every outdoor party line-up this summer, Love & Light, has announced their international guests for their event on Saturday, 21December. Liquid Soul, Yotopia [featured on Pg.28] and NOK are the three international headliners announced. They will be playing alongside a selection of South Africa's leading underground artists. The event will be a full day,14-hour, electronic music experience, starting at 10am on Saturday morning and ending at 12pm on Saturday night and will once again be held at the exclusive Mountain Shadows venue in Paarl which is no more than 63km's from Cape Town.

Love & Light [and their winter event, Sirius] has brought out the likes of; Neelix, Perfect Stranger, Liquid Soul, Lish, Interactive Noise and many other headlining progressive acts over the past two years and has a unique Saturday only formula that adds a nice twist to the outdoor event calendar. For more details go to their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/loveandlightCT

Red Bull Music Academy Bass Camp Braamfontein, 30 participants from around the country were chosen to attend the five days of sessions. The concept was simple yet highly effective as the lucky attendees got to hang out with their heroes, as they mixed with some legendary pioneers of our burgeoning South African music scene. Last month saw Red Bull Music Academy host But it’s not just social; the attendees were their ‘Bass Camp,’ a local series of workshop put through their paces with lectures, studio sessions to give artists a taste of what happens sessions and live performance demonstrations each year at the annual Red Bull Music Academy. by our trio of South African RBMA Alumni, Black Hosted at the Alexander Theatre in Coffee, Culoe De song and Jullian Gomes. This

Foreign Beggars announced for DJ set at Synergy Live Adding to the stellar line-up of live bands and electronic artists for this year’s Synergy Live, it was announced that Foreign Beggars will perform a DJ set on the Red Bull Live stage both in Cape Town on Saturday night, 30 November and Joburg on Sunday1December. Foreign Beggars won "Best New Act" at the 2004 UK Hip Hop awards and were voted Best Group at the Lyric Pad Hip Hop awards in 2005. They were nominated for Best European Hip Hop Act at the 2010 Urban Music Awards alongside nominees Roots Manuva, Ken Ring, Professor Green, La Fouine and Tinie Tempah. In 2012, they were broadcast live globally on computers, iPhones, and iPads for the iTunes Festival 2012, as an opening act for Deadmau5. Check out www.synergylive.co.za for full details.

was topped off on the final day by a lecture from international DJ and producer François K, who participated earlier this year at the New York Red Bull Music Academy which was also attended by our very own TranceMicSoul, chosen from hundreds of applicants. This final session was also open to the public. The workshop sessions were also supplemented by a number of RBMA Club nights at venues around the city. Notable happenings included Sat, 2nd November at the Alex with François K + guests and the official closing party with Black Coffee, Jullian Gomes and the latest RBMA graduate, TranceMicSoul at Chaf Pozi in Soweto on Sunday 3rd November.

#HeinekenLiveAccess to stage Heineken Star Club with international DJs this SA summer Tickets went on sale last month for Heineken® Star Club – a series of exclusive shows debuting in South Africa with a host of iconic DJs. Presented by #HeinekenLiveAccess, the event is set to take place in Johannesburg’s Expo Centre Nasrec (Friday 29th November) and Cape Town’s super club Shimmy Beach Club (Sunday 1st December). According to organisers, fans can expect the best of a global music experience. If Heineken® Star Club’s recent appearances at numerous festivals in Amsterdam is anything to go by, we’re in for a sensory and electrifying treat. Flying down with the famous beer maker, are two global exports – recognised electronic and house DJ and producer, Kerri Chandler; and renowned New York based DJ, Quentin Harris. For full details go to BPMMAG.co.za – the news section.

OPINION

By The Little Misfit

The Little Misfit

DEAR UNSTABLE VIEW NOTE TO READERS: LAST MONTH A SLANDEROUS LETTER DENOUNCING THE PSYTRANCE SCENE AS ‘A CULTURE THAT STANDS FOR NOTHING MORE THAN A WEEKEND OF GETTING WASTED...’ DID THE ROUNDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALLEGEDLY APPEARED IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER. I FEEL IT MY OFFICIAL DUTY TO REPLY...

ou start your letter by saying ‘disguised to clueless parents as outdoor festivals that embrace principles such as peace, love, unity and respect, these are events where people are exposed to drugs, debauchery and alcohol.’ Oh, Unstable View. Firstly, what have parents got to do with anything? As far as I’m aware, there’s a strict no under 18’s policy, and it’s only got stricter by the year to keep the young ‘uns out. Ergo, the people attending are adults. Grown up enough to decide what’s good for them, don’t you think? Also I find your use of language amusing. So ‘these events’ are disguised are they? Some, big evil mastermind has

concocted a nefarious plan to corrupt the youth? No, Unstable View, I don’t think so. The reality is, just like in any other industry, there are many people working behind the scenes to make it a success. From the scores of producers making the music - one of the only music genres in the world where South Africans are known to be some of the best I might add! - to the back- breaking work that goes into the décor and set-up, oh, and let’s not forget about the numerous charities which are supported by all of this ‘debauchery’. Unstable View I’ll tell you where you’ll get exposed to ‘drugs, debauchery and alcohol’: at your local bar, walking down the street, at school... you see where I’m going with this? Drugs and alcohol are everywhere. What you won’t get everywhere however is a community

which truly trades in ‘peace, love, unity and respect’ - and since you’ve openly admitted you used to go to parties, you should know first-hand that this is exactly what it’s like. In the decade plus that I’ve been a part of the scene I’d be hard pressed to recall a violent incident. Do you understand that what you say could have a direct effect on the livelihood of many, many people? People with children, bonds and cars to pay off? ‘Ordinary’, decent people, whose work is now viewed with suspicion thanks to your generalised, bitter, little letter? I’m one of those people, and Unstable View you have pissed me off. Let me tell you, it’s not an easy living to make - whichever aspect to be involved in - but a career choice born out of passion and creativity. I live with a talented producer, who has spent the last ten years of his life working extremely hard. I’m friends with many of the sound, décor, bar folk and event organisers. I know the names of their children. I’ve been for dinner at their houses. I’ve been treated with utter kindness and respect. Yet you just dismiss this. All of it. You’ve publicly said that my life and the people in it are nothing more than drug pushers. How would that make you feel? I think this is about you. I think your letter is about the bad choices you have made in your life. We’re all responsible for our own actions, and narrow-minded people like yourself love to blame the bogeyman - and in this case you’ve decided to tar and feather a culture, which has uplifted and enriched many people’s lives, mine included. Be a big girl now, and take a look at your own life and try and figure out the reason why you live in such hate and fear. There’s something a lot more dangerous out there than a weekend skop. It’s people like you. I’m still smiling, surrounded by inspiring, positive people. Bet I couldn’t say the same for you. PLUR, The Little Misfit

COVER FEATURE

By Tendai Luwo

MI CASA MAKING HOUSE THEIR HOME heir story reads like a fairly tale. Three creatives meet, form a band and make a song. In a matter of weeks the song takes over the airwaves and propels them to the top of the charts and the centre of music lovers’ hearts. Only thing is this isn’t a fairy tale, it’s the story of Mi Casa. In an industry where most success stories are precluded by accounts of struggle and strife, Mi Casa’s rise to stardom is undoubtedly a work of wonder. Their ability to efficiently compliment each other on a musical scale is unparalleled and ever so evident in their music.

Su Casa It feels slightly uncomfortable to say Mi Casa are ‘only’ on their second album because despite being on their sophomore release, their first album in itself ushered in a new era in South Africa’s house scene and literally

“IF YOU LOOK AT MUSIC IN SOUTH AFRICA OVER THE PAST 15 TO 20 YEARS IT'S REALLY BEEN A BLACK AND WHITE PAINTING. WHAT WE WANT TO BE IS A BAND THAT'S KNOWN FOR BRINGING COLOUR INTO THAT PAINTING.” bestowed them with instant legendary status. Likened to Tortured Soul, who happen to be one of their biggest inspirations, the group has become synonymous with a refined and mature sound that traverses across multiple age groups, cultures and races. Their latest offering, Su Casa, smashed records by literally hop, skipping and jumping to gold status in a matter of days. Even as we speak the album is on the cusp of reaching platinum status with only one single out and six more to go! But putting together Su Casa was no easy task for the group and the majority of the record was recorded outside the conventional studio setting. Vocalist,

J’Something elaborates on just how much of a challenge the recording process was, “The first album we spent three months in the studio just doing an album whereas this time we had no time to record. We’ve been touring for the first album so it was really a lot of recording in hotel rooms and on the road.” However despite what may be perceived as a hindrance, the group has managed to create an album that still encapsulated the ethos of Mi Casa; meaningful music that carries a message beyond the euphoric feel good vibes. Unlike their debut, Su Casa also sees Mi Casa collaborating with three choice artists. The young and vibrant Jimmy Nevis lends his vocals on the delectable Feel The Love (my personal favorite on the album) while Black Coffee’s masterly touch can be heard on the uplifting Africa Shine. Lastly Mishka, most famous for Gelo Wandi by V.Underground, offers his richly exotic voice on the Latinlaced Bora Viver.

Jika The lead single from Mi Casa’s new release and South Africa’s current dance anthem, Jika, is a soul infused number that not only has us all singing along in unison but also has even those with two left feet trying their hand at the catchy dance routine. At a time when most musicians are actively searching for a hit, Jika presents itself as an effortless jovial production. The minimalist approach the group takes with the simple percussion line, melodic Rhodes piano and jazzy guitar riffs coupled with J’Something’s sultry vocals gives Jika the perfect balance between soulful record and dancefloor banger. “We made Jika while at a sound check in Sun City. At the time we all thought it was wack but then we soon realized it was going to take over the whole nation!” And takeover the nation it has! Jika is one of the few songs to dominate the poll position on such a wide array of music charts from the urban market to the adult contemporary stations. A feat that’s nothing short of amazing!

Mi Casa Music One of the most pleasant things about Mi Casa is not only the growth of the group but also the evident maturation of the individual artists. It’s inevitable that as the lead singer J’Something undoubtedly gets the most attention, especially from the females. But sonically there’s also been a shift in his vocal mastery. Mo T’s command of his brass beauty has also strengthened while Dr. Duda continues to push the boundaries of his production prowess.

Although they’ll certainly be together for years to come, there is no doubt that each member of the group could just as easily hold their own if the day ever came where they decided to go solo.

Building the house In the two years that they’ve been in the music industry, Mi Casa have been nominated for an MTV EMA award, scooped multiple SAMA awards, amassed a legion of fans and basically cemented themselves as one of the greatest to ever do it. In 2013 alone they have been nominated for the following; Channel O African Music Video Awards Best Duo/Group (awards on 30 November). Drum Darlings - Most Idolised Musicians (awards on 7 November 2013) and the Feather Awards - Musician of the year. Yet despite all this the group still endeavors to make it strictly about the music. Although fans would like otherwise, a live DVD doesn’t seem to be in the near future for the collective as their focus remains solely on giving Su Casa the love and attention it deserves. Apart from their various endorsement deals, the centered effort towards their music is nothing but beneficial to the group. One has to remind oneself that the journey has really only just begun and their ability to literally take it anywhere they desire is astounding. For J’Something, Mo T and Dr. Duda, their dreams really have come true and in spectacular fashion at that. Much like their name, they’ve taken a passion for all things musical and embraced it to create a world where their creativity lives and is adored by all. Borders mean nothing to the group and

their sound shall continue to resonate as far as our speakers care to carry it. With a sincere love for those who have embraced their sound and say “for us it’s about good music and trying to change people’s lives for the better,” Mi Casa leave some heartfelt parting words on the legacy they’d like to leave behind “If you look at music in South Africa over the past 15 to 20 years it’s really been a black and white painting. What we want to be is a band that’s known for bringing colour into that painting.” And there is no denying the spirit of unity that Mi Casa’s music has nurtured within all their listeners. The best way to sum it all up is by getting yourself a copy of Su Casa, indulging in its greatness and simply ‘Feeling the Love.’ Follow Mi Casa: Twitter: @MiCasaMusic Facebook: micasamusic Instagram: @micasamusic

GREAT FESTIVE PRICES IN STORE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

By Johann M Smith

HARDWELL'S

DREAMY REALITY he story of 25-year old Dutch electronic titan Hardwell has rolled out like a feel-good Hollywood flick. From growing up in the city of Breda watching MTV as a pre-teen, to becoming an established DJ headlining magazines and stages the world over, to running his own Revealed Recordings and a roster of successful artists. Hardwell has it all. The best part? The story isn’t done. His boyish charm and faith “if you can dream it, you can do it” is slowly stealing the world’s attention and restoring its starry-eyed belief in heroes. And now - hot on the heels of his documentary premiere (I AM HARDWELL) at the Amsterdam Dance Event, his number one spot in DJ Mag, and near 14 million views (and counting) of his Tomorrowland set on YouTube - he’s coming to South Africa this summer. Thanks to the kind folks from Electric. During his time at ADE, Hardwell and I chat about his 3-city visit to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. We start on how he takes it all in. His demeanour is friendly, focused and - very much like his Afrikaner

“ONE OF THE BEST PARTS ABOUT BEING A TRAVELLING DJ IS THAT EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT, EACH CROWD HAS ITS OWN PERSONAL FEEL. NO TWO SHOWS ARE EVER THE SAME.” brethren - extremely down to earth. “I try to keep myself grounded and focused,” he says. “I’ve been working towards these goals since I started out over 10 years ago, so it isn’t an overnight success which offers me experience with the touring and setting up new projects.” Whilst he seems to be taking success in his stride and is incredibly proud of what he has achieved so far, it’s his fans he pays tribute to; “I’m immensely grateful for them - for their continued support, love and energy they bring to both my shows and online.” Hardwell is a firm believer in the reality of his desires; his eye is permanently on the ball. “I’m really excited about the future and what I’ve got coming up in 2014, plus, I’m

looking forward to announcing the next round of I AM HARDWELL Tour dates.” Coming up in 2014…? He’s no doubt restless and loves to keep secrets. Like anyone, Hardwell’s life comes with its own set of unique challenges. Having exclusivity is just one of them. “One of the best parts about being a travelling DJ is that every show is different, each crowd has its own personal feel. No two shows are ever the same. I’m lucky that most fans coming to my shows know my music and respond so passionately to it.” To him it doesn’t matter what the destination or language barrier is, every time he gets up on stage he loves the thrill and energy of connecting with people the most. When pushed to reveal details on why his Durban set will feature a “unique production,” he gives me the value of keeping a secret. “I would love to, but I can’t. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I want people to come and experience the tour without any preconceptions on what to expect. I want to keep every detail of the production and music under wraps.”

It goes without saying Hardwell has given journalists a reason to 'find the story behind the story' again. I enquire what we can expect from Revealed Recordings artist Dannic, who will be joining Hardwell on all three of his shows in sunny SA. “He’s like a brother to me. We’ve been friends for a very long time and I’m really proud to be able to work alongside him on this tour and in the studio. I think he is one of the best in the scene. His selection is always excellent; he knows how to build-up crowds better than most, as well as rocking those mainstage festivals and headline club shows.” And without making it seem like a PR pitch, he delightfully adds “Dannic’s latest track Blueprint with Sick Individuals is fantastic and has been a big record for me lately.” Having won 6 consecutive #1’s on Beatport, to running a prolific label with a stellar line-up of artists (Dyro, W&W, Joeysuki, amongst many others), to keeping direct communication with fans through online channels (like his Ask Hardwell Q’nA series on YouTube), the melody maker’s life isn’t easy. Luckily for Hardwell ambition exceeds any negativity that might come with experience in this ever complex and expanding global EDM industry. We get onto the hotter topics, starting with the relevancy of traditional music media in this era of social networking. According to Hardwell, online is just an easier way of connecting with fans. “It will be a shame if we

ever lose radio or printed press because these components are so powerful and whilst they are also good for the established artists out there, they also offer such a rich and influential avenue for new artists.” When queried on what’s the next big step for electronic music, Hardwell looks to America. “The expansion of the US scene is still the hottest subject right now. It’s refreshing to hear more focus being put on places like India and Brazil. South African duo Gold Fish have also made an impact in Holland. It’s great to see other nationalities flying the flag for their native homes, exporting those creative ideas and sounds to other dance scenes and ultimately bringing the international scene closer together.” Amidst all this rush and rubble in EDM, DJs have become world celebrities by taking on the 21st century with technology and all its glory - both in their working and social lives. However, the question should be asked, can a DJ or a producer be influential outside the limits of the electronic scene? Hardwell doesn’t seem fazed. “To be honest I don’t feel famous within the boundaries of dance music. I’m happy my music has reached so many people and the past year has really pushed my profile into a bigger audience, but I still feel like the same person from Breda. My life is still very normal. I do this for the love of the music and not the fame.” Whether he admits or not, Hardwell is

famous. And with the rising importance of EDM worldwide and the arrival of his tour plus the likes of Ultra Festival, Sonar and Heineken Star Club, South Africa is becoming part of a movement. It’s time to stop and realise: a significant era in dance music has begun. As part of our I AM HARDWELL competition these lucky readers (and winners) got to ask their favourite DJ a question... Alicia Scheepers asks: what is the most outrageous and random thing a fan has ever asked you? “I was asked to sign my name in thick lettering, not knowing the fan would go out and get it permanently tattooed. I was totally blown away.” Raeesa Govender asks: "Music in the soul can be heard by the universe" is a quote you made not too long ago. How do you create a track with the hope of it speaking to a diverse crowd?” Always believe in your own judgement and ideas. Try to think of the dancefloor when making music. Let it speak. Just feel it. Taking an idea and building it into a track and living it on the dancefloor is a slow process, one that I find really exciting. Catch the I AM HARDWELL tour in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban this December. Check out our news and events pages for full details.

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ARTIST Q ’n A

By Johann M Smith

CLASSYMENACE

MY BEAUTIFUL CHALLENGE...

ohannesburg electronic house machine Andrea Lacopini (aka ClassyMenace) has taken huge strides in 2013. From receiving his first SAMA Nomination for his revision of Toya Delazy’s Pump It On, to achieving a number 1 on iTunes Dance Chart for the single Summer Daze. The 26th of November sees the rising melody maker release his first major label debut titled …Made Me Do It!, a bold 15 tracker featuring a hot mix of artists from Lakota Silva and John Mani [Newton’s 2nd Law] to UK based Dennis Wonder. With summer and 2014 around the corner, I stole some time...

“THIS ALBUM WAS MY BEAUTIFUL CHALLENGE. I NEVER EXPECTED IN MY LIFETIME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT ONE TOGETHER. END RESULT… I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH IT”

How was it being nominated for your first SAMA? You were facing the likes of Pascal & Pearce and winner DJ Kent in the category of Remix of The Year. That’s hard competition. Nomination? SAMA? Wasn’t that a dream?! I think for that entire weekend I was in disbelief. It was a great feeling to be considered and acknowledged for my work. It pushes me to do work harder. Fingers crossed for next year. You have a very simply ethos: “Don’t imitate. Innovate.” How do you go about finding the new? New is a sneaky bugger. I simply believe that it is important for artists to try and experiment. There’s nothing wrong to take something that exists. It’s what you do with it. That’s the fun part. Over the years I have found certain elements and traits have stuck with me. Little signatures of sorts. Your whole attempt is to make a mark by being a musician first and then a producer. When writing a new track, when do you use traditional instruments? And how does it benefit the scheme of things? There’s a new wave of electronic artists who are reverting back to traditional methods. It’s

important to look at the roots and foundations of recorded music. I try whenever I can to use real instrumentation - it gives your production a natural human feel. However, on this album there weren’t as many instruments as I intended. It was a little more out of the box, but I pushed to give it a real soulful feel. I suppose the proof is in the pudding. What can we expect from …Made Me Do It! Out very soon through Sony Music…? This album was my beautiful challenge. I never expected in my lifetime that I would have to put one together. End result… I am extremely happy with it. I tried to blend in all my influences and inspirations, creating something that represents me and what I love about electronic music. The title …Made Me Do It!

comes as a homage to all the artists and musicians who shaped me over the years of living and breathing EDM. With the eye of the electronic world currently on America, do you think SA’s flagship DJs and producers should also cash in their chips and show those Yankees how to dance? I definitely think we can, however I don’t want to just be part of some fad. The US has been swallowing dance music and seems to want more. Although I feel there will be a change. I would rather focus on Europe. I spent a good 10 years of my life there - EDM is as common as people having a cup of coffee in the morning.

What is your take on the initiatives of conferences like Breathe Sunshine and Bridges for Music, who are aiming to elevate the status of local music in places like the Amsterdam Dance Event? I think it is great and timing couldn’t be any better. SA has had a sudden boom with quality music. I [however] get this feeling sometimes we have an ‘every man for himself ’ kinda mentality. I believe that if we wanna see it grow, and show the world what we have to offer, we need to come together. As from an Italian expression “Unity is strength”. I truly believe this. With summer around the corner, what can we anticipate from ClassyMenace? With the album release I have a couple of dates scheduled around South Africa. Primarily focusing on coastline, where the summer buzz is happening, gonna make sure to give as much Menace love to everyone that I can this holiday season. Follow ClassyMenace: twitter.com/ClassyMenace Lookout for his new album - …Made Me Do It! - dropping this month.

FEATURE

By Johann M Smith

ELECTRONIC IS THE NEW ROCK 'N' ROLL AN INTERVIEW WITH UNCLE BOB FROM BLOODY BEETROOTS ike rock ‘n’ roll, can dance music speak for a generation? Or are we just here to dance? Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo - alias The Bloody Beetroots - seems like a worthy mouth-piece. His mesh of rock driven EDM is as old as it is new. But unlike his predecessors (Leftfield, Underworld et al.), it’s bigger and it’s now. It is the sound of war. His noir approach and philosophy - “the only thing that matters is putting music first” - has made him a pioneering phenomenon. The internet is peppered with photos of the mysteriously masked superhero artist holding up cards. The great ones read: “Will DJ for food;” “Beware the invasion;” “Smile if you masturbate;” and his personal best: “More listening, less talking. Silence speaks for itself.” Call to action manifestos? Social commentary? We love him because he is an enigma, a super DJ producer who can play guitar and jam a drum kit. In this so-called ‘megeneration,’ he is that careless weird kid who pitches up at school wearing a Spiderman suit. Speaking to Sir Bob about his new sophomore album - the antifame titled Hide, he happily tells me: “I’ve been to Africa before, about two or three years ago. But this is my first interview with someone from Africa. I’m super excited.” With the new 15 track offering, Bob waited four years. I ask him if he thinks he’s waited long enough. He starts to laugh and in his rich Italian accent: “Oh yes. Did you want me to wait longer?” Hide sees him collaborating with a host of artists - most interestingly Paul McCartney on the Youth featured single Out of Sight which topped iTunes earlier this year. He tells me about his experience with the famous Beatle bassist. “I can say this to you; it was surreal wow! I had to forget who he was, so that it didn’t intimidate me. He’s a great, great musician. It was an honour.” I’m a little surprised by Out of Sight’s low number of YouTube hits - only 523 506 (very

“WE NEED TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS. WE NEED TO PRESERVE ROCK 'N' ROLL. EVERYTHING CAN'T BE ABOUT EDM. WE ARE LOSING THE HUMAN TOUCH.”

little, considering his status) - he defiantly claims: “I’m not interested in numbers, they’ve become vague. I believe in the little steps, not smash hits.” He reckons that “The Bloody Beetroots’ war is The Bloody Beetroots’ war. I believe there is so much noise in this music world. That’s why I wanted Sony involved in this new journey. With little steps we can gain a new demographic.” He’s extremely stubborn and opinionated when it comes to the business side of music. Bob has previously stated on online channels how America is full of industries jumping on the EDM bandwagon. We delve deeper into the subject. “EDM means everything and nothing. On one hand, it makes it more accessible to the masses. On the other side, a lot of artists have created something which isn’t real people should make music that they want to make, and not what they think they should make. That’s what I do personally. I’m different because I make the music of my life.” So what’s his take on ventures like the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)? “I live in the Bloody Beetroots world; everything is related only to my music. I support arts and culture and whatever it is. I make music. Is it successful? It doesn’t really matter. I’m happy at the end of the day. Because I know: if I like it, someone else will like it. You just have to spread the word.” But do not be fooled. The 36 year old music machine seeks order. When I ask him what’s next for electronic, he shrugs: “Oh Jesus Christ, I don’t know. That’s a good question buddy. There so much misunderstanding in the movement - chaos and confusion. I would like to put a little order into all this noise.” He wisely concludes: “I don’t believe in anything, except for music. We need to break down the walls. We need to preserve rock ‘n’ roll. Everything can’t be about EDM. We are losing the human touch.” Perhaps, like Elvis Presley, it’s all a bloody marketing act to score chicks. If it is, it’s a real long walk for a short glass of water. You can read my review of Hide on Pg. 44

FEATURE

By Dave Mac | Photo by Flore Zoé

BAKERMAT

“DUTCH PEOPLE LIKE DANCE MUSIC. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF DUTCH PEOPLE HAVE A GREAT PASSION FOR IT.” hen Die Antwoord got to a million views on YouTube it was big news both here and abroad. Heck it even got them signed to Interscope. To achieve this they produced a catchy video that trended for months and backed this up with a really good website. So how does a young student from Ultrecht, Netherlands achieve 2.5 million views [and counting] for a deep house track [Zomer] with jazzy overtones that is nothing more than the song and a static image on the video channel? “I just made the tracks Zomer and Vandaag in my student room for myself to have something to listen to. At one point my roommate came in and asked me to put the tracks on YouTube. I came up with an artist name and a title, got some random picture from Google and uploaded the tracks. People started sharing and the videos got really popular.” Seems effortless and wholly frustrating to all those who toil away at trying to gain traction with their music. “I [just] think it's become so popular because it was something new, something fresh. If people ask me what genre music I make, I usually don't know what to answer. It's a kind of deep melodic house with a lot of happy vibes and classical instruments. Apparently the people that listen to it wanted to hear something different,” he answers matter of factly. There must be something in the air in Holland, considering the success their artists continue to have, globally. “I think it's the environment,” says Bakermat, “Dutch people like dance music. I don't know why that is, but the majority of Dutch people have a great passion for it. Also, we're pretty open-minded on the subject of music. If you try something new, a new sound or whatever, it will always be encouraged by the people around you.” Growing up in the city of Utrecht, the final year psychology student says he’ll be moving to Amsterdam shortly having been forced to put his studies on hold, such has been the demand for gigs by the young producer. “In the beginning I still tried balancing the two, but the last 7 months it's been impossible. Despite the fact that many people think producing and DJing isn't that hard, it actually is a 24/7 job that demands a lot of energy and time.” The sound of Bakermat combines deep

house with authentic musicality borne out of his love for Jazz [Coleman Hawkins, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker etc] as well as deep soulful techno by Kalkbrenner, Marek Hemmann etc. “Some artists that really inspired me too are: Parov Stelar, Goldfish, Fatboy Slim, Moby, Laurent Garnier and The xx.” To enhance his live shows, Bakermat is often joined on stage by his sax player, Ben Rodenburg whom they hired to add something more to his performance; “My music contains a lot of saxophone so it fits perfectly. My agent called Ben and he immediately came to drink a few beers. The next day I sent him some instrumentals of my tracks and the day after that he could play them fluently. He's a great live saxophone player and showman. I toured with him almost 24/7 this year so we became friends on the road.” Tech heads may be surprised to know that he uses FL Studio as his DAW of choice, proving once again that’s it’s not what you use but how you use it; “I don't really know what it is, but I just love Fruity Loops. I tried almost

every DAW around, but I still keep coming back to FL. It's actually really good if you add some good external VST instruments and effects.” Bakermat will be touring South Africa at the end of the year, joining Goldfish with whom he has become good friends, for their Submerged Sunday session in Cape Town as well as playing H2O/I AM HARDWELL in Joburg and the 4U Rage Festival in Ballito, KZN. “I'm really looking forward to visiting your country and playing there. I’ve never been to SA so it will be a fresh experience. I know the guys from Goldfish. I don't know if that really represents SA music, but I have to admit that they are the only artists that I do know. I met them in Ibiza and we became friends. In Europe we often play together at festivals, parties etc. but we never played together in SA. I'm really looking forward to that!” Catch Bakermat at one of his SA gigs and find out what the fuss is all about. 2.5 Million YouTube views can’t be wrong... can it?

FEATURE

By Ethan Storm

LIFE IN ‘YOTOPIA’ “TOO MANY ARTISTS USE ONLY THE WELL-KNOWN FORMULA THAT ‘POPS THE CROWD’.”

ou sometimes hear stories about friendships that spawned from childhood and stretched out into adult life. What you don’t often hear is those stories resulting in one of the biggest trance duos in the world. In this case it has, and is the reason Yotopia will be rolling in for the Love & Light festival this December. For almost a decade, Yonatan Rimon and Tomer Dayan have been blasting their tunes out of stacks all over the globe. Their first album, Point Blank, was released under Portuguese label Flow Records in 2005. From there, they made their way from party to party, giving people a taste of their ‘Yotopian’ sound at iconic events such as Tshitraka , Indian Spirit, Full Moon Festival , Glade Festival , Boom Festival and Universal Parallello - to name a few. Struggling to find enough studio time in their busy schedule, they began to explore not only as producers but as listeners as well. After being introduced to the sounds of progressive house and techno, and having made it past what they call the “crossroad of waiting for the right time”, they felt prepared - and with reason. Their second release,

Connect the Dots, was released in 2009 under trance behemoth Iboga Records and saw their success and acclaim skyrocket even further. Another Tel-Aviv sensation, they provide an insight into the Israeli scene that I wasn’t aware of before. All this time, I thought there was something in the air of the city, but maybe not so much. “It’s not really about Tel Aviv, because many didn’t actually grow up there. Tel Aviv is the centre, where young people come to ‘make it’. Most of the known artists are from small places and suburbs and later moved to Tel Aviv. But the city provides the perfect setting for young artists. There's always places open, parties to check out and new people to meet,” they tell me. I’ve noticed something plaguing many long-time partygoers over the past year or two in regards to the latest boom in trance party popularity, and the influx of progressive ‘ear candy’ music that has come with it. The veterans have more to share on this: “Expanding is not a bad thing, but it can obviously be used in a very wrong way. Too many artists use only the well-known formula that ‘pops the crowd’. Even more than that, the problem is the booking

agencies and promoters that are not in for the love of it, are more driven from personal interests and money. That's why you can see parties with practically 10-12 hours of the same style all over again - it has no logic, and the people are starting to feel the same.” So what is the ideal festival? “In our mind, a perfect event blends different styles from deep and tech house, to more techno and progressive house. Then it's the perfect time to have space for more deep progressive trance acts, which are so hard to find today. And from there you move on to the more powerful stuff, still keeping a little bit of everything and not too much of the same thing. There are too many promoters that are afraid to do that and bring only big names or friends to play.” They describe their music as more than just another prog-psy-tech hybrid, they believe it to be best described as a story that they try to tell. “Each set has its own character. It's more about presenting the set as one piece, instead of throwing separate bombs, one after the other. And with our ‘miles down the road’, we've become quite good story tellers.” I know I speak on behalf of all Capetonian trancers when I say that Yotopia is a very welcome addition to the stellar line ups set out for the rest of the year. Before we end our conversation, they have a few final thoughts to share with those of us eagerly awaiting their performance this December. “We’ve heard great feedback about Love & Light and we honestly can't wait to get there, to party and to have good times with you all. It's also our first time in South Africa and it's always so much fun to get to know a new place. People - feel free to come and say hello on the dance floor!” I’ll take them up on that offer, and I’m sure I’ll see you all there too.

FEATURE

By Johann M Smith

MORGAN BEATBOX A REAL MOUTHFUL

“THERE IS NO SONG I CAN'T DO. THERE ARE ONLY CERTAIN SONGS I WISH I COULD DO BETTER.”

n a swelling sea of DJs and producers, it’s surprisingly easier being a beatboxer in South Africa. That is if you trust one of SA’s brightest beatboxing stars, Morgan Beatbox, a Midrand born and raised ex-blond white guy who has been active in beatboxing for 6 years. “There are hundreds and thousands of DJ’s and producers. But beatboxers? Very few, maybe a couple on a professional level. Having said that, because of how rare professional beatboxers are, it makes it easier to earn a living in the music industry.” But let’s be honest: making sounds with your mouth sounds like a novelty, not as a serious music career. Beatboxing, like dancing, is often only a YouTube delight that’s amusing for a few brief minutes. “When I started beatboxing, I wasn’t taken seriously. No one thought I would be able to make a career out of beatboxing. Because of this it was more of a hobby than a source of income. I would perform for free at pubs and clubs just for pure exposure and fun. I was only taken seriously when I started charging clients. As soon as I requested payment, I was treated differently and looked at in a different light.” Like any beatboxer, he states it all comes down to style and knowing your audience. “Beatboxing has always been regarded as a ‘street’ way of expression and as being underground. Now that we have guys doing

shows on a commercial level it is definitely being taken more seriously.” He started out at age 16 and has done well to achieve a bit of a cult following. He is often recognized as the ‘human radio’ - the origin of which comes from his onstage party trick where crowds get to name any genre or sounds they would like him to imitate. Often the results are hilarious, and Morgan, who has the ability to do seven sounds at once, has to draw a line. He laughs, “the problem came in when I would be asked to do the most bizarre sounds, like a chicken barking like a dog or digestion sounds, I had to draw the line at that.” He boldly confesses that “there is no song I can’t do. There are only certain songs I wish I could do better, more accurately.” Fortunately, his CV speaks for itself. He’s won several battles, including the SA Beatbox Battles hosted by Sprite; he’s opened for DJ Fresh, Parlotones and Locnville; and has appeared at Joburg day in front of 18 000 people. But his biggest achievement to date has been opening for UK ninja celebrity DJ, Jaguar Skills. “I had the huge honour of opening for him in Thailand at an event called Maya Beach Club. I was on a little tour of Thailand and the guy running this event saw me in action and booked me. The party was on the beach, almost half in the ocean. It was amazing.”

But it all comes down to this: what now for Morgan? Enter the Boss RC-505 Loop Station. “It’s is every beatboxers dream. To describe it simply, it’s like 10 Morgan's on stage - each with a microphone. The possibilities are endless. I will be using the equipment for some of my live shows. The point of it all is to show people that I can produce music, on the fly, live, in front of you using nothing but my mouth.” Naturally, the process comes with challenges. “I particularly like the effects on the RC-505, although I [usually] try stay away from effects. I want to sound as real as possible. What I would like to see on a loop station is being able to record a pattern without the crowd hearing what I'm recording. So that I can build up a track with a certain pattern and then record, through my headphones, a different pattern and then mix from the one to the other. Just like a DJ would,” he smiles thoughtfully. If his ability to pull of Rahzel’s If Your Mother Only Knew (a YouTube must) is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat. Morgan confesses to finding inspiration in jazz and digital forms of music - fields renowned for being extremely intricate. Morgan’s only criterion is: “it all depends on how it sounds beatboxed.” There’s no doubt. This dude is legit. If you’re into tech, read our review on the Boss RC-505 on Pg. 12 in the tech section. Checkout Morgan’s Beatbox on his website: beatboxer.co.za

FEATURE

By Johann M Smith

TUBE & BERGER VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIC ech house producers Tube & Berger are two German punks from the 90’s who have taken the world by its horns. They’ve been crowned 2013’s biggest selling house act on Beatport and were recently granted an exclusive slot called Deeper Sessions on Tiësto’s Club Life After Hours on the Sirius XM Channel. I caught up with the DIY duo somewhere between Dubai, Austria and Cosa Nostra ahead of their forthcoming South African venture. Despite their nice-guy appearance, there’s a feeling they’re up to no good and it’s going to be fun. We start talking about their heroes. They immediately let me know it’s a tough question. “We’d say the crown goes to the UK. Obviously Hot Since 82 and Dusky are super successful and we love their tracks. We also see big potential in our Kittball Records newcomers Paji and Wild Culture.” The label Tube & Berger operate was established strictly on the premise of being antilabel dictatorship. Like the artists who inspire them - Dixon (who co-owns imprint Innervisions) and Westbam (who started the first Berlin hardcore techno label, Bug Records, circa 1990) - Tube & Berger are fiercely independent. “DESPITE OUR PUNK ROCK “Westbam is godfather to us. In the ATTITUDE, WE LOVE 90’s we were big fans and we still are.” We can only imagine how phenomenal it THE NEO HIPPIE VIBE. is building your career closer and closer to PEOPLE ARE OPEN-MINDED the height of your idol. On the topic of playing at SA’s Truth AND THEY WANT Nightclub, The Sound Factory and 4U POSITIVE ENERGY...” Rage Festival this imminent summer, the Germans reveal their love for Africans. well in this ever increasingly futuristic era of “We’re getting loads of great feedback on ours. But despite it all, behind their bad boy our planned little tour. We’ll be playing special faces are two sensitive souls who love summer, edits in our set - hits like Lovebreak and Imprint hippies and working with children. of Pleasure and our favourite tunes of the They tell me in addition to their shows, moment. We like to take people on a journey they’re looking forward to escaping the icy from chilled indie deep house sounds to European winters and soaking up a bit of sun rougher tech house and even techno and back.” whilst working for the African Children’s Choir. What else is there to say but vorsprung “And hopefully some of the kids.” durch technic. Leaving the 90’s and punk behind It’s okay if you want to say aah. Tube & and keeping only the best bits has bid them Berger have a good sense of humour.

“Despite our punk rock attitude, we love the neo hippie vibe. People are open-minded and they want positive energy. We want people to have a great time and when it’s too posh the fun gets lost. We like those little hippies. We sometimes even call our sound ‘hippiehouse’ for fun. Sure… they don’t smell very good, but we don’t smell like roses either when we play 5 gigs in one weekend.” When musing about their rough and tough years growing up as rebels in a small industrial town, the conversation reaches the height of trustworthiness. “We might be too old for mosh-pits. But every now and again it feels good to turn up the volume and listen to our old punk heroes. And to be really honest… we feel a bit like traitors. We even love listening to classical music these days. But please don’t tell anyone!”[Laughs] Sorry Tube & Berger. You’re too awesome for me to leave anything out. The personality that makes up this appealing duo is an odd-ball mixture from yesteryear’s angry generation and the uplifting spirit of modern day EDM. Their most admirable characteristic is how they’re always aiming for the sun. “We always did what we wanted to do. We love trying things in the studio and sometimes we just jam and record it. Super big fun! Like Tiësto’s team who told us we’re free to play what we want. That’s cool. Otherwise we wouldn’t do it. It’s also exciting to see what’s happening in the US at the moment... people are starting to look for what comes now, beyond EDM. We want to dive deeper into the rabbit hole and show them our side of dance music.” Amusingly they conclude with a peppery dose of punk attitude and rock hard cockiness. “Someone asked if we see ourselves as the indie deep house pioneers in the US… hmm… doesn’t sound too bad.” Catch their SA tour. Go to BPMMAG.co.za for all the details.

PRODUCER SERIES By Tendai Luwo

“OUR SCENE IS SO AMAZING RIGHT NOW! ALL THE BIG INTERNATIONAL GUYS CRAVE OUR MUSIC AND LOVE OUR SCENE. WE HAVE SOMETHING EXTREMELY SPECIAL IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF.”

hy are you so f**cking cool? That’s honestly the only question I wanted to ask Kid Fonque when the opportunity to interview him arose. I’m still waiting for the answer. There’s a generation of music connoisseurs who live amongst us who you’ll seldom see on your television screens or even hear on the radio. At times it’s been said that perhaps these are the people Gill-Scot Heron spoke of when he said the revolution will not be televised for what they do often goes without merit and yet gives sustenance to a starved underground realm of music. Kid Fonque is part of this league of musos. While some know him as Kid Fonque others simply refer to him as Allan Nicoll, the label manager at Soul Candi. These however are the only two times you can successfully ‘define’ the man for beyond that it is outright impossible to stick him in a box. His music alone traverses across genres and he is just as comfortable dabbling in soulful house as he is residing on the far side of the scope amongst dub-step tunes and broken beats. His unique penchant for music is no surprise though considering notes and chords had always been a part of his life. “Music was always around me growing up and my dad was a big fan of all sorts of stuff. I took to everything at an early age but when I was about 13 I found Acid Jazz and that’s when I found what I was passionate about.” Even his chosen stage name serves as an ode of sorts to music. “There is a concept a famous sax player started called ‘Buckshot le Fonque’, he released 2 albums under the moniker. The concept was all styles of music from soul to D&B, House, Hip Hop and Jazz all by one artist. I loved that so I adopted the Fonque and the Kid just naturally followed.” Now in present day, Kid Fonque is

KID FONQUE

PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY currently riding the wave of his latest album Kid Fonque and Friends. What may unassumingly seem like another twelve-track house album is in actual fact one of the most sincere bodies of work to come out of this land of house in recent times. Carrying fan favourites like Be, 2sides and Usangikhumbula, Kid Fonque and Friends successfully takes a collaboration with nineteen other music creatives and weaves it into a first-rate sonic offering. It’s no wonder the album took a year to complete and yet Nicoll reveals there’s more still to come! “I have 1 or 2 more singles that still need to go out to the public before I can say we have completed its cycle.”

Beyond the studio, Kid Fonque also recently headed to Amsterdam as a part of the South African delegation that attended the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Alongside the likes of Black Coffee and Goldfish, Kid Fonque not only spun his records but also took part in sharing with the larger house music fraternity insights into what’s really happening within the local house music industry. He proudly exclaims, “Our scene is so amazing right now! All the big international guys crave our music and love our scene. We have something extremely special in South Africa that we should be very proud of.” His sentiments form a much-welcomed vote of

confidence from within the industry and more so from an individual who’s literally been a part of it from the start. When all is said and done there is no question about just how deep Kid Fonque’s love for music runs. His ability to effortlessly and consistently deliver beautifully honest music, both behind the decks and in the studio, firmly cements him as one of the greats of our time. And essentially it all really comes down to his purist nature and that’s why he’s so f**king cool!

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HIP HOP

By Levi Letsoko

“WE NEED A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT AND THAT'S MY AIM.”

IFANI

A RAPPER ON THE RISE… 013 has been a great year for the South African Hip Hop scene as we witnessed how certain artists managed to break barriers by achieving milestones seen before in this genre. Compare the scene right now to what was happening 10 years ago and it is very easy to pick up on the improvements. When tuning into the paid-television channels like Channel O and MTV Base, local rap is on more rotation currently ever. It took the industry a little while to take note, but Ifani’s resilient and unique entrance into the game stands out in many discussions that concern SA rap. When he first came into the game it was much easier for most commentators to assume that Ifani was a one hit gimmick that would have disappeared by now. But there seems to be a much stronger vision and artistic strategy from this dude. He is currently signed to the strongest business management team led by Refiloe Ramagose called Dream Team SA. “Sony saw my music video on Channel O and hunted me down like a springbok. (Not like the rugby team, [laughs]). After long discussions, they signed me,” he says. “Dreamteam contacted me on Twitter. We immediately set up a meeting. After finding out who they were I ran to them. We spoke for 15 minutes and I was signed. That deal

linked me to Sheila Afari PR as well.” Born Mzayifani Mzondeleli Boltina, the Xhosa rapper converted his birth-name into a stage persona whose presence is very hard to ignore. His image is far from that of a rapper and so is his approach to the game. Ifani has introduced an authentic sound and personality and managed to position it in a way that guarantees a much broader path than just a one hit gimmick. ‘How did you get into the rap game?’ I ask. “Back when my best-friend and I used to take things that didn't belong to us, we stumbled over tapes (we were 8 years old at the time) and took them home. When we played them, we discovered rap music. I've been hooked since,” he says. Ifani’s latest single Milli is currently on heavy rotation both on radio and television circuits; he enthuses, “Milli is one of my favourite jams currently, and it was produced by AirDee and I wrote all the lyrical material on it.” On the song, he continues to depict his fantasy of wanting to be a millionaire so that he can take Zizo Beda (South African television personality) out on a date, as he believes she is not a pizza-kinda-girl. The song is slowly climbing up the charts and it is the one song that Ifani needed in order to make people take his music seriously despite the strong comical influence in it.

His style of comical music is not new to the South African scene. Initially, there was another artist signed to DJ Cleo’s Will of Steel Productions by the name of Pitch Black Afro. With DJ Cleo in charge of the music composition and production, Pitch Black Afro’s first album - Styling Gel, went on to sell over 120 000 copies, and up to this day, that album holds the record for the highest units sold in SA rap. “A lot of people have mentioned that my style reminds them of Pitch Black Afro. Can't quite tell you why coz my teeth are fine,” he laughs. He adds: “My skin-tone is a bit light, my voice sounds different and my fashion style is much cleaner. I am not sure why I get compared to him. Maybe it’s the hair? But yes, I love Pitch Black Afro and I worked with him before I went mainstream. We both never thought or felt like we were alike.” One of the attributes which affirm that Ifani is going to be around for much longer in this fickle industry is that he remains unique amongst a pool of artists who are all gravitating toward emulating the same persona. That is one of the reasons he stands out and why the country will be looking to embrace his artform. “We need a global footprint and that's my aim. In order for us to be able to take our music to the world, we need to bring a unique style to the table. We need to offer them what is not already out-there,” he concludes.

COLUMNIST

By Tendai Luwo

THE DEEP END WITH LUO LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

emember the first time you saw the Around The World music video by Daft Punk? Good! Now keep that image of the odd tall men, the women in the swimsuits and the creepy mummies in your mind as I go on another one of my rants. Working for a music channel is a rather interesting experience no matter what department you’re in. The one thing you’ll hear on almost a daily basis is “But why aren’t you playing my video?” Time and time again I’m confronted in hallways, my Twitter inbox and even in the middle of the dancefloor with this question and I’m not even the one who makes that ‘yes/no’ call! I do, however, see where most individuals go wrong and what’s even more tragic is how elementary mistakes end up costing an otherwise ‘hit single’ much deserved TV airplay. Fortunately these overlooked errors can easily be rectified and will probably get you that much closer to being on high rotation on your favourite TV channel. Firstly it is important to know that having a big radio hit doesn’t mean that the music video will be received with the same loving arms. On numerous occasions I’ve seen some of the biggest names in the

THERE'S A MYTH THAT THE BEST MUSIC VIDEOS ARE THE MOST EXPENSE. industry have their videos rejected for a host of reasons that include wrong format, failing to censor the content (boobs, foul language, violence, etc.) and simply having a bad video. The work you put into making your great song should be emulated in your music video and that doesn’t even mean spending money. There’s a myth that the best music videos are the most expensive. A typical music video will cost you around R35 000 but they’ve been known to go as high as R120 000 or as low as R500 (no lie). The reason for this is crew and camera, location and talent (the people you’ll have in your video). It’s always best to save the lion’s share of your budget for the crew and camera. A good camera means a high quality video no matter where you shoot it. But remember you still need to pay for a good editor. Location and talent are the easiest costs to cut if you’re clever about it. Unlike shooting in a club / restaurant, filming on certain streets and alleys have almost no hiring costs and if you use friends, family in

your video, chances are all they’ll want is a little food, drinks and the joy of seeing themselves on TV. This works fine BUT you also run the risk of your video seeming highly unprofessional no matter how good the picture quality is. The essential thing to remember is after high quality visuals you need an even higher level of creativity if you’re looking to make a video that doesn’t end up on the A&R’s floor. Walking in a township, half-naked girls in a pool / by the beach, green screen videos (cringes) and club scenes with unplugged CDJs are all over done and very easy to decline. In fact you don’t even have to be in your own music video like what Bob Sinclar does. Take a page from Mi Casa and their La Vida music video or better yet the hidden gem of a music video that is CoreNaHouSe’s It Revolves Around You. Both videos are simple, creative and tick all the boxes a playlist manager would check. Obviously budget will forever remain an issue, especially for the up and coming artists but that’s where the fine art of product placement comes in. If your song is big, your brand desirable and your manager jacked up enough it’s quite easy to approach alcohol brands, clothing labels and the like and offer them product placement. What this entails is offering a certain brand exclusive presence in your video i.e. you sip on beer X during one scene. This gives that brand on-air mileage and in exchange they’d be more than willing to give you money to sponsor your video. Just be careful about blatant product placement. Exhibit A Dineo Ranaka’s House Party. Lastly, a music video not only compliments a great song it also completes the package. It can be the cherry on top or the salt in your ice cream. So always give it thought, effort and time. With that said and done, see you on my TV screen.

FUN STUFF

5 MINS WITH...

DE CAPO

Check out our exclusive interview with Surreal Selections co-producer, Punk, online at BPMMAG.co.za Also read our album review on Pg. 46.

WE GRAB 5 MINUTES WITH SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE DJ'S & ARTISTS AND ASK THEM . . . WELL . . . JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WE FEEL LIKE!!!

ast year this time we featured Da Capo on these very pages with the title ‘House Music’s Golden Child,’ as we identified him as one of the most promising house

producers around. In that very same interview he maintained he’d have an album out in 2013! Well the good news he has delivered Surreal Selections Vol. 1, mixed by DJ Swizz and co-produced by label mate and

fellow producer PUNK. We also identified Da Capo in our ‘Top 10 Urban House Producers in SA’ feature on BPMMAG.co.za. We caught up for a 5 minute chat...

1. Surreal Sounds Vol. 1 - How long was the process from when the decision was made to do the album, until the point of release? Well the project took about 67 months, from scratch, which was kind of a hard work for us because it was over a short period of time. 2. All the tracks are produced by yourself and Punk. What was your thinking with having Swizz mix the album? Swizz is someone who we’ve been looking up to even before we started production - he’s a motivator and a DJ; he is the one who showed us the path so this is a an appreciation from us to him. 3. The album drops just in time for consideration by the SAMAS. Do awards enter your mind when creating music? Absolutely yes, for me awards are like an honour to simply show that you are admired as an artist. 4. Remixing Freshly Ground’s Nomthandazo tell us more about this... Immediately when I received the project I was so excited, but it tended to be the hardest project I’ve ever produced because I had to change the tempo from their genre to dance music. But in the end it surprised us all. 5. All 3 of you hail from Polokwane. There seems to be a thriving music scene happening there. What is in the water you guys are drinking? [Laughs], nothing in the water we only act in the best of motives. Inspiration is also our key word and we all are united. 6. A year ago we featured you as an up and comer in BPM Mag. Aside from the album which of course is big news and is a really good - what else has happened in the past 12 months for you and your musical partners that keeps you smiling every day? Well, definitely gigs across the country... getting lots of love, support and getting my first shot to DJ overseas at Paris (Djoon) twice and then London.

7. Playing in London and Paris 8. Do you consider yourself a - it sounds like every DJs DJ who also produces or a dream. Tell us about the Producer who also DJs...? Producer who DJs; I put my experience... talent first. It felt like a dream until I was there! The club scene is totally crazy because they 9.Your ultimate wish-list: If appreciate any type of music you could remix any one you play and show a lot of artist’s track? support. Nowhere I Can Go - Clara Hill

And now for some fun questions.... 1. The best thing about house music is... Connecting us upcoming artists with local and international legends. 2. Growing up in Polokwane... Too awesome... the pace of life is slow and calm. 3.Your most common expression is... Happy face

4. The one song on your iPod or phone that would surprise friends is... An R 'n B song I did for Gershon Jackson and Teretta Soul - I'm Free. 5. One thing you always have in your fridge is... Lots of Fanta orange [laughs]. 6. The worst piece of advice someone’s ever tried to convince you of is... You can never make it in the industry with deep house music.

10.Your favourite track from the album? Let’s Play 11. Which new(ish) SA artist do you think has a bright future? Definitely has to be Cuebur, he is signed under a label that I truly dream to work with... 7. When is it okay to lie? While I’m busy working in studio I lie to friends so that they won't come to disturb [laughs]. 8. What is the one promise you keep making to yourself that you always break? To stop producing for a while and relax.

AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE IN ALL GOOD MUSIC STORES

COOKING THE DECKS

By Tendai Luwo

UHURU

THE SOUND OF FREEDOM little over a year ago a certain house collective was still classified as a newcomer group. In a short while however the production quartet managed to have at the very least one hit single on literally every corner of the continent and beyond. Their cult status as the go-to guys for a remix continued to grow with each release and as a result their sound has become the staple diet for DJs looking to appease their dancefloors. Some say they were sent to us to breathe new life into commercial house. All we know is… they’re called Uhuru! What started out as a collaboration between a producer named Maphorisa and another named Clap soon grew into a union of like-minds when they joined forces with percussionist Xelimpilo and pianist MaPiano. Their sounds were initially confided to the walls of a humble miniature studio. But in time and through the initial signing of Maphorisa to Oskido’s Kalawa Jazzme label, the group soon found their name becoming a household brand and their tracks top of the resident’s charts. Although Uhuru has existed for over six years, their name is most synonymous with their hit remix of Letta Mbuli’s Not Yet Uhuru. Interestingly enough though the group reveals that the smash single didn’t come as organically as some may believe. “We first tried the idea of the remix five years ago but it didn’t work. Then one day Xelimpilo said let’s try it again and we finally got it right.” Remixes aren’t their only hustle. Uhuru’s musical hand can be found as the guiding force behind colossal hits like Professor’s Jezebel, DJ Zinhle’s My Name Is and most recently, Mafikizolo’s Khona. “When Theo (Kgosinkwe) told us Khona would be a hit, we thought he was joking!” The group has also quickly become hot property in Mozambique and Angola, which has seen them working with the award winning Lizha James and DJ Malvado, the Atchu Tchutcha hitmaker. Their greatest accolade for 2013, however, will be spear-heading a breakthrough in the Nigerian market by

“WHEN THEO (KGOSINKWE) TOLD US KHONA WOULD BE A HIT, WE THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING!” a South African artist. Prior to their collaboration with Mafikizolo on Khona and Happiness featuring May D, attempts to penetrate the largely patriotic Naija music scene had been futile. Now, however, not only are Uhuru productions sharing the airwaves with the likes of D’Banj and 2Face in the streets of Lagos, their endeavours have allowed for other South African artists to be warmly welcomed into an industry that was once only reserved for foreign musicians from Europe and America. A testament to just how far their efforts have gone is the fact that Khona alone has garnered close to one million views on YouTube! An achievement that is almost unheard of by South African artists. Having sufficiently earned their stripes as remixers and producers, the group has now turned their focus upon themselves. When we sat down to chat, their debut album Our Father, was only a mere ten days away (Release date: 1st of Nov). “The album is crazy! It features Professor, Oskido, Bongo Muffin and more as well as some up and coming artists.” Uhuru also has plans beyond the album that include more international collaborations with the likes of Louie Vega, May D and possibly even P-Square. Even if Uhuru was yet to release their first hit the core of their success would still remain in the fact that they ushered in a new and unique sound. Congas and djembe’s have always been a part of African music and yet within the tones of those drums, Uhuru have managed to find a signature sound that simultaneously got a nation moving to a singular rhythm. The journey has only just begun for this pioneering group and it will undoubtedly be one that will have us rejoicing and dancing behind them as they venture on it. Uhuru! Cooking those decks for sure…

ALBUM REVIEWS 1. Crazy White Boy - Ghetto Tech - Soul Candi

<Tech House> Deep and broody. These are the feelings that keep resurfacing each time I load up Ghetto Tech, Crazy White Boy’s 11 track follow up to 2012’s debut, Zoma. I wonder if they’re aware that ghettotech is a form of club music originating in Detroit? A sort of mashup between Chicago ghetto house and electro is how good ol’ Wikipedia describes it. No matter. What’s in a name? I think it suits CWB far better. So what’s different this time around? Whilst Zoma was a mix of straight up house with tech [or ghetto tech as they call it] influences and could still be called a crossover album, Ghetto Tech sees them delve deeper into a definitive house groove albeit with the typically ‘African flava’ good SA producers seem to naturally have. Happily when they use African samples or vocals, it does not feel at all contrived. It’s more in the groove anyway. Ghetto Tech is broody, restless… even ethereal at times. Featuring vocalist Nonku on seven of the eleven tracks with man of the moment, Mathew Gold on two others it’s a collection of 4-to-the-floor house grooves that at worst may be a little ‘samey’ throughout for some, but at best - and for genuine house lovers - segues the gap between deep house and tech with aplomb. Reviewed by Dave Mac

2. Kid Fonque - Kid Fonque and Friends Soul Candi <House> “Everyone forgot about the records themselves and was worried about the mixing.” That one line by Theo Parish sums up what Kid Fonque and his latest studio album, Kid Fonque and Friends is all about. Kid Fonque calls on 19 of the musical greats to lend their musical touch to this stellar twelve-track album. From the first bass lick on Kid in Motion you become well aware that the levels have shifted with this release. With the likes of Charles Webster, Kerri Chandler, MdCL, Byron Rex Phillipson, Ckenz Voucal, The Lamberti Boys, Khensy, Zaki Ibrahim and more making an appearance on the album, it’s a wonder how ‘the kid’ managed to allow everyone to express themselves creatively without overshadowing each other. Each track fits perfectly into what aims to be a story of timeless house told through song and lyric. What’s most astounding about Kid Fonque and Friends is that any track could have been the lead single. Mystix is just as good as the popular Be featuring Zaki Ibrahim yet they’re so different. If one had the brutal task of picking a favourite on the album, the poetic 2Sides and the gritty Usangikhumbula will probably be the choice selections. All in all, this just may be the best album of 2013. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

3. Surreal Selections:Volume 1Da Capo and Punk - Surreal Sounds <House> If this is where the future of South African house music lies, then we can only be destined for greatness. Much like its title Surreal Selections:Volume 1 offers a stellar collection of some of Da Capo and Punk’s best works. The album begins with Da Capo’s superb remix of SK 95’s Leaking Waters, a saxophone laced jazzy number that literally feels like a classic within the first 16 bars. Da Capo also shares his musical landscape with Punk, a rising star in his own regard who offers his interpretation of hauntingly

beautiful deep house. Not only do Da Capo and Punk engage in musical warfare throughout the album, the two producers also join forces on singles like the starry Cross My Mind and melodic Shine. As much as Da Capo and Punk are immensely talented individuals though, the album isn’t perfect. Some tracks don’t quite have that ‘wow’ factor and yet it still works because it allows the album to offer the listener a myriad of emotions. DJ Swizz elegantly polishes off the album with his divine mixing skills. In essence Surreal Selections:Volume 1 is definitely one for the record crate. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

4. Lulo Café - Soul Africa - Soul Candi <House> Lulo Café is back! His growth from DJ and compiler to full-fledged producer has been a pleasure to behold. His latest album Soul Africa was definitely a long time coming but well worth the wait. For anyone who’s followed Lulo Café’s musical journey they’ll be surprised to hear that Soul Africa is a lot more upbeat than one would expect from the DJ. This doesn’t mean, however, that the album is filled with club bangers but rather it finds itself somewhere in-between Sunday lounging music and afrohouse. The opening track is an eerie reprise featuring Mr January titled A Try. The detuned Rhodes is reminiscent of a sound the likes of C.9ine would use in their own productions. The album in itself features an intriguing list with appearances by newcomers like Moneoa, Nape and Donald. There’s one single on the album that totally caught me off guard. I’mpatano featuring Lenna Bahule and Black Motion is a far cry from the percussion heavy production you’d expect when you see Black Motion’s name beside a title. Instead the production is a dreamy Latino broken beat number that steals your heart at first listen. In a word though, the album is good. There’s the sense of a need for subtle tweaks here and there but Lulo is certainly growing into his own as a producer. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

5. House Blendz 3 - Malankane - Soul Candi <House> The third instalment in the House Blendz series by Malankane is finally here. Malankane is known for being unashamedly soulful when it comes to his compilations and House Blendz is no different. Offering a tastefully crafted blend of soulful and deep local productions, the compilation certainly upholds the ethos of the first two House Blendz compilations. From the opening track, LPizzicato & Nanau’s You Are the One (Keys Snow Remix), the listener is immediately aware that this is going to be an adulterous deep house affair. Malankane’s own productions also feature on the album and if anything are some of the best tracks on the compilation, especially the groovy Be Alright. Unlike most deep house albums, House Blendz 3 is almost exclusively a vocal compilation, sans My Life is Deep by Rudesoul. The beauty of it being predominately a vocal offering is that it allows you to let it play as easy listening while subconsciously staying aware of just how far you’ve ventured through its deep house journey. All in all the entire twelve track album finds a lovely balance between not being ‘too deep’ and maintaining just the right level of engagement with the listener. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

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ALBUM REVIEWS 6. The Bloody Beetroots - Hide - Sony Music

10.

<Electro House/Dance-punk/New Rave> The Bloody Beetroots kicks Hide off in epic fashion with Spank (featuring Tai & Bart Be More) - the very same that’s been keeping 5FM listeners on their toes. His effort to once more create dance punk (following up on 2009’s Romborama) shines through with stylish and aggressive use of beats and guitars. Several well-known artists appear on the 15 tracker, including a few you’d never expect - Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe) on Raw; Beatles bassist Paul McCartney on popular single Out Of Sight; and English celebrity and multi-instrumentalist Peter Frampton on third last track The Beat. Throughout, the mysteriously venom masked Mr Bob, rattles expectations with several genres in the pot - from house (Runaway); to Dubstep (Chronicles Of A Fallen Love Affair); to R 'n B (Glow In The Dark); to the Daft Punk inspired disco Please Baby. The overall result is as addictive as it is eclectic and soulful. Sir Bob’s biggest success here has been to go against the grain of EDM by generally avoiding ‘happy sounds’ and gunning for something with more punch. Last track and black diamond - Volevo un Gatto Nero, is an eerie metallish cover of an Italian children’s song, which says it all: The Bloody Beetroots gives dance music balls. Finally, we can convince those rock kids to change camps. Reviewed by Johann M Smith

7. GoodLuck - Creatures of the Night Just Music <Electronic Dance> The album promo for GoodLuck’s new offering - Creature of the Night - was handed over with the caveat that they’ve tried to do something different to their debut offering . Opener, and title track, Creatures of the Night, has radio hit single written all over it. It’s a simple little pop ditty; very catchy and sets the tone for something that is indeed slightly different from the group. Body Guard follows with the reassurance that they have not forsaken their electro-tinged jazzy/swing grooves completely and will prove a hit on the dancefloor. Trickery is a heady mix of drum ‘n bass and big-beat which works really well whilst All the Colours (feat. Mathew Gold) is more typical once again of the GoodLuck we’ve come to know. Mid-album tracks, Figure of 8 and Lost in Translation sees them drop the pace with two easy going groovers before hitting back with the swing-groovy What Would We Be featuring LA based Lisa Kekula who has featured on singles by both Basement Jaxx (most famously the track Good Luck) and The Crystal Method’s Realizer. The remaining tracks (4 of them) continue the format of mixing up big-beat, 4 to the floor swing-electro and pop-tinged ditties in equal measure. Creatures of the Night is undoubtedly a way more accomplished offering than their debut; better produced, musically more substantial and much stronger song writing. Well done to them. Reviewed by Dave Mac

8. Machinedrum - Vapor City Ninja Tune/Just Music <IDM/Glitch/Jungle> Hot on the heels of 2001’s massively successful and well received Rooms comes Machinedrum’s new offering - Vapor City. Rooms was an album well received and lauded by critics all over including the likes of Pitchfork who as we know, make it their job to be as anal as possible, who gave it a reasonably good rating. Glitchhop and/or IDM is a genre that has found a way to segue

the lines between avant-garde and easy listening. Witness artists such as Bonobo whose latest album could easily be mistaken for easy-lounge before the layers truly unfold. Machinedrum is of a similar ilk except his junglist beats and breaks are certainly more frenetic than the aforementioned... for the most part. He is also prone to more subdued moments of washed soundscapes. Vapor City is a concept album about an imaginary metropolis with each track (10 in total) about a different district. I’d never have guessed to be honest, had I not read the press release. No matter as Vapor City at its best is easy listening (by IDM standards) underpinned by sophisticated beats and layers and at its worst hampered only by the same criticism levelled at Bonobo’s latest - The North Borders - as being maybe too easy on the ear for the chin-stroking IDM fraternity. I love it though. Reviewed by Damien Albetto

8. Nastee Nev - 0808 Sweetsoul - House Afrika <Urban House> Nastee Nev has steadily climbed the rungs of the urban house ladder towards being a respectable force in the industry. His latest offering, 0808 Sweetsoul, serves as his official declaration that he’s here to stay. For anyone familiar with the Nastee Nev sound you’ll know it’s all about soul and that’s just what you get in 0808 Sweetsoul. Opening with Having You Around the listener is made well aware that they’re in for a musical treat. Nastee first flexes his musical prowess with Take Me (All Night) featuring Donald Sheffey. The rich baritone vocals from Sheffey over sultry guitar licks and mellow piano chord work make it a personal favourite on the album. Another tasteful number on 0808 Sweetsoul is the effortlessly beautiful Fly Away. Interestingly enough though the vocal version of Nastee’s most popular single, Joy, is a spectacular let down and was definitely better off as an instrumental. One other thing that caught my attention is the album artwork that is unashamedly copied from Ne-Yo’s R.E.D. album. That aside, 0808 Sweetsoul serves as the perfect testament that South African soulful house is growing and cementing itself as a force to be reckoned with on the international scene. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

10. Mathew Gold - The Rush - Soul Candi <R n B / House / Hip Hop> The debut album from Cape Town’s newest star, Mathew Gold, is easily one of the most anticipated albums of 2013. With the likes of Ben Peters and Crazy White Boy on production, Mathew set the expectation levels spectacularly high for the play button. The Rush starts off with a smooth ballad that shares the same title as the album. Soon enough though the lead single from the album, No Ordinary Guy featuring AKA takes over and gets the album going. Interestingly enough, No Ordinary Guy is perhaps my least favourite single on the album, probably because Mathew’s verses aren’t particularly great and AKA tends to outshine him. The bitter taste doesn’t last long though because the tear-jerking and equally fist pumping Walk Away quickly reinforces the knowledge that Gold is damn talented. The album progressively gets better with each track. Where You Going and Higher Than The Sun will certainly be dance floor favourites but what’s a Mathew Gold album without another ballad? Towards the end of the album Gold offers his own rendition of India Arie’s Brown Skin before closing it off with the jazzy Put It To Bed. For a debut album, Mathew Gold definitely ticks all the boxes and gets a well-deserved double thumbs-up. Reviewed by Tendai Luwo

ALBUM REVIEWS

11. Shayman - Landing on the Moon Nano Records 11.

12.

<Psytrance> Landing on the Moon is the Israeli producer, Shayman’s first full length album and it is a belter. Floating Beats is crammed full of squelchy psychedelic sounds and the title track which follows is a wonderful fast paced electronic bundle of weirdness. The galloping bassline and crunchy synth of Frequency is going to set dance floors on fire. I love Stranger for its many intriguing layers of sound and various changes in pace. The uplifting build-ups in Senses lead to a throbbing beat that keeps pounding away and then suddenly drops off. While Room 3007 has a cleaner sound than the other tracks here it still has banging bass and interesting sounds. I could feel the engines of the spacecraft engage and I was swept off into space with Trip On. Danger has a cool bouncy beat and a great little melody to let you get into the groove of the party. The sophisticated sounds of Unusual Situation ends this interesting journey of discovery into the musical mind of Shayman. He has created a myriad of fresh soundscapes that makes this sound really distinctive. Recommended. Reviewed by Riqardo

12. Ticon - Remixed - Iboga Records 13.

14.

15.

<Progressive Trance/Tech> After 14 years in the music business Ticon have released a double album of 25 tracks remixed by various artists. The OTB & Naughty Notes remix of the funky and bouncy Rip it Up starts off with a bang. The live remix of We are the Mammoth Hunters by Ticon himself is magnificent and the “mammoth cries” adds a special something, I could just imagine the happy dance floor. The banging remix of 1987 by Riktam & Bansi is pure dance floor bliss and so to the clean beats of the epic track, Waiting for the Knight (Lish Remix). You Make Me Wanna Drink More remixed by Time in Motion has a beautiful melody and the phat drum sounds of Zebra Beat remixed by Flippers is amazing. We are the Mammoth Hunters makes another appearance this time brilliantly remixed by Captain Hook and Wasabi. The killer remix of Waiting for the Knights by XV Kilist & Rocco has a darker sound, perfect echoes and it really stands out. There are many more tracks remixed by amongst others Matt King, Christian Smith, Andreas Berolini, Osmo, Junk DNA, Morttagua, Minimize, Antix, Tripswitch, Funk Trunk, Symphonix and Vibrasphere. This album is filled with musical gems. Recommended. Reviewed by Riqardo

13. Etic - Coincidences No Such Thing Digital Nature Records <Progressive Psytrance> Coincidences is the 5th album by one of the progressive masters, Etic’s (Etay Harari) and it is packed with chilled trance tunes for a lazy afternoon. Come In Peace slowly oozes from the speakers and envelops the senses with its warm sounds and appears to contain vox by Barack Obama. Audio Fever has a familiar melody and the amazing synth sounds are very pleasing on the ear. Etic’s stunning collaboration with Sonic Sense is Swing Volley and is one of my favourite tracks on this album. Bad S smacked me in the solar plexus with its throbbing bass, what an

awesome feeling. The title track is a perfect trance inducing tune for the psychedelic mind(ed). I Witness has cool UFO related vox and saucer sounds. I was mesmerised by the hypnotic beat and the eerie echoes of Last Equations. It’s How U Say It is filled with beautiful trance inducing melodies and beats. The lovely slow build-ups in Too Much Info created a feeling of calmness and grew the levels of anticipation in me. I was pleasantly surprised by the Goa influences and clubby sound of Back To Goa, a very different sounding track to the rest. Recommended. Reviewed by Riqardo

14. Timelock Redline - Iboga <Progressive Trance> It is time for some serious progressive trance tunes and Timelock has the bag filled with the fun treats. Wildfire is a beautiful collaboration with Invisible Reality and the beat is deep and rumbling. TFX with Side Effects is a stunning tune of epic proportions that wants to escape into the wild. Timelock remixed Purity by Liquid Soul, a majestic track filled with sweet melodies. Push The Gain is a substantial track with darker elements which I really enjoy. When I see the name of Ace Ventura I get excited and Lunar Trip hits the pleasure centre with a bang. I first heard the fantastic DJ Killer Bitch Dealer on the Weekend Heroes Firedance album and here Timelock gave it a minimal remix. The beat starts building slowly; a beautiful melody develops and obscure vox repeats in Sparkling Lights. Class A remixes 51 by Timelock & Ace Ventura and this tune with its UFO related vox, dark synth sounds mixed with sweet melodies is stunning. The final track is also the title track and is by Timelock & Black Mesa. I like the sound of the female vox in this tune with its throbbing beat. Recommended. Reviewed by Riqardo

15.Various Artists - Think - Blue Tunes Records <Progressive Trance> After the first few tracks of this album the clubby vibe of Think (compiled by Hanzo) quickly dissolves into solid progressive tunes. Dreams by Dualism, Meelo and Clufe has an angelic quality that keeps uplifting the spirit and the relaxed nature of Take Me Away by Ranji had me dreaming of lying on a sparkling white beach. The sweet build-up, punchy beat and 80’s synth of Controlled by Symphonix took this track to the next level for me. I love the classic melodies mixed with intense bass and the crunchy tone of Hidden Light by Durs; this tune is an aural delight. The creative remix by Hanzo of the funky tune, Round One by Neelix, got my stomping mode activated. Call It by Kularis & GMO has a very atmospheric ambience behind its belting bass. Amusing vox on The Grinch and giggling of children in this tune by O.T.B & Naughty Notes makes it fun and the mysterious sounding melody is awesome. The hurtling build-up of The Brotherhood of Eternal Love by Bonanza Bros then turns to a fantastic thumping beat, thought provoking vox and cool psychedelic sounds. The majestic melody of Dystopia by Metronome echoed through my mind and is the perfect way to end this album. Recommended. Reviewed by Riqardo

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DJ CHARTS

NOV/DEC13

DJ CHARTS KID FONQUE (Soul Candi / JHB / House) 1. J Dilla - Antiquity (JM Edit) • 2. &me - Shallow • 3. Kid Fonque - 2sides (Atjazz Remix) • 4. Charles Webster, Kid Fonque & Khensy - Don’t Forget Me (Kid Fonque & Jonny Miller Remix) • 5. Wiley - And Again • 6. Kendrick Lamar Feat Emili Sande - Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (DM&PM AfroDose) • 7. Jesse Rose & Henrik Schwarz Stop Look Listen (JM's Rancido/Perc Beat Edit) • 8. Machinedrum - Infinite Us • 9. Daudelus - The Quiet Party (Nstrmntl) • 10. Ta-Ku - Songs To Break Up To

DJ GAME (Soul Candi / JHB / House) 1. DJ Game Ft . Happy - Joy (Soul Candi Records) • 2. DJ Game &Melo Ft Twitty - Intliziyo Yami (Soul Candi Records) • 3. Vaalsow - Unga Tsheli Muntu (Soul Candi Records) • 4. Zaki Ibrahim, Kid Fonque & DJ Whisky - Be (Atjazz & Jullian Gomes Remix) (Soul Candi Records) • 5. DJ Game Ft. Rooted Soul &Kani - Crazy (Soul Candi Records) • 6. DJ Sbu Ft Gentle Music - Come With Me (Ts Records) • 7. Lulo Cafe & Black Motion Ft. Nape Leon - Whistling To Bed (Soul Candi Records) • 8. DJ Whisky &Vaalsow - Walk Away (Soul Candi Records) • 9. DJ Qness Ft. Marissa Guzmann - Look Inside (Soul Candi Records) • 10. Bob'ezy Ft Makuru &Khadafi Zungu (Soul Candi Records)

SIRVINCENTSA (Jump Start Entertainment / CPT / House) 1. The Soil - The Joy (Da Capo’s Surreal Experience) • 2. Bucie - Heavy K - Easy to Love • 3. Raffa Scoccia & Jarrett Cato Honey Drip (Original Mix) • 4. Black Coffee - Buya • 5. Cuebur ft Marissa Guzman - No Doubt • 6. Avicii - Wake me up • 7. Da Capo ft Cuebur Sabir • 8. Louie Vega - London Roots (Uhuru Remix) • 9. Mafikizolo Ft May D - Happiness • 10. Deepconsoul - Meditate in Melody

DJ WONDER (PTA / Deep House) 1. Chasing Hurt - Heart Of Gold • 2. Bravery FreeSouls (N.Vena, T. Majwana) DoMoTainment • 3. Keyminator - Move (Black Alley’s Private Cut) • 4. Andrey Potyomkin, Anturage - Starlight (Original Mix) • 5. Harold Heath - Our Love (Tom Lown Remix) • 6. Jimpster - Hold my Hand • 7. Jazzuelle - Undercurrents (Dub Mix) • 8. Lets Moove - FreeSouls (N.Vena, T. Majwana) DoMoTainment • 9. Jazzuelle feat Hektor Millet Equilibrium (Original) • 10. Aphrodisiax, Sabrina Child - Free (Ron Tent Remix)

U-RECKEN (Dacru Rec / Tree of Life Festival / ISRAEL /Psy Trance) 1. Techtonic - Melanova (U-Recken Remake) Dacru Rec (unreleased) • 2. Bliss - Stay Sharp Dacru Rec • 3. U-Recken vs Digicult - Crescent Moon - Dacru Records (unreleased)• 4. Terrafractyl-Fluid Mechanics - Kinematic Rec • 5. Sonic Esylum - Mahoon - Geomagnetic Rec • 6. Logic Bomb - Frequent Flyer (U-Recken Remix) Dacru Rec (unreleased) • 7. Pixel & Illumination Kandolim - Dacru Rec • 8. Digicult vs U-Recken The Optimist - Dacru Rec • 9. Bitkit - Galactic Superwave - Dacru Rec • 10. K.i.M.- The Ride (unreleased) DJSWIZZ (Surreal Sounds / JHB / Deep Tech House) 1. Sven Laux - DeePaa (Dewtone Recordings)• 2. Mika Olson - Deep Blue Chair (Forteba Rmx) (Ready Mix Records) • 3. Ferrein - Meeting Sea (Wolser Schelek NB Rmx) (Musik Gewinnt Freunde) • 4. Bas Amro - Gournes (Original Mix) (Music Management) • 5. Newa - Hedgehog (Subspiele Records) • 6. Dusky - Mr.Man - Anjuna Deep • 7. Agoria - Scala (Innervisions) • 8. Humanate ft. SIX - This Is Super8 (Moti Brothers Rmx) (Itom Records) • 9. James Creed - Undone (Odd Socks) • 10. Leoni - La Roca (Underground Lessons) KYLE WATSON (Truth / House / JHB) 1. Kyle Watson - Throwback (Original Mix) (Gruuv) • 2. Them Jeans - Git It (Original Mix) (OFF) • 3. Sidney Charles - Whistle (Original Mix) (ViVA Music Limited) • 4. Kyle Watson - You Should (Original Mix) (Gruuv) • 5. Dusky Esperanto Juggler (Original Mix) (Aus Music) • 6. Hot Natured, Anabel Englund - Reverse Skydiving (Shadow Child Remix) (Defected) • 7. Josh Butler - For Who You Are (Original Mix) (Definition: Music) • 8. Kyle Watson - The Whip (Original Mix) (Domino Effect) • 9. Low Steppa Simples (Original Mix) (Simma Black) • 10. Mikalogic - Noance (Original Mix) (Noir Music 2) DJ STRAT3GY (House Afrika|Africa Rising / JHB / House & Tech) 1. Tortured Soul VS Black Coffee - I Know what's on your mind (Ethan White Rmx) (TSTC Rec) • 2. Rocco ft Byron Stingily - Love me Back (House Afrika) • 3. Charles Webster, Kid Fonque, Khensy Don’t Forget me (Miso/Soul Candi) • 4. Nastee Nev - Thinking about you(Nev Rec) • 5. Culoe de Song - Ngokuthula (Ma Afrika) (Soulistic Music) • 6. Michael Gracioppo - Wayne Tennant - Creep (Innervisions) • 7. Samuel Dan - Dirty People (Aidan Lavelle Rmx) (Akabal Music) • 8. Soul Minority - Down the Road (Oscar P NY 2 Detroit Mix) (Kolour Recording Digital) • 9. Noir, Haze, Campact Grey, Ron Costa - Around the Bane (Noir Music) • 10. Nicky Life - Misplaced Faith (Special Extended: What face are you wearing today mix) (Lifehouse)

56 NATIONAL EVENTS

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ASTROBABBLE

By Lois Siddhu

SCORPIO 23 OCTOBER - 21 NOVEMBER ARIES | 21 Mar - 20 Apr | FIRE Your tendency to approach life with a certain trust and naivety is admirable, but now you have to also look at the other side of the coin and see that there is no light without darkness. The one is an integral part of the other. TAURUS | 21 Apr - 20 May | EARTH Your learning curve comes through valuing the things and people you like and give them care. What you don't appreciate and hold in esteem will get lost, be stolen or broken. Look after what you want to keep. GEMINI | 21 May - 21 Jun | AIR As the wheels turn you find yourself in another scenario where you are pressurized to deliver the goods. There are forces at work that are squeezing you into situations to enable you the choice regarding your future relating and sharing. CANCER | 20 Jun | 22 Jul | WATER Unvoiced tensions and discontent erode your confidence and bring about anxiety. Being structured and disciplined will help you cope and deal competently with the situation.

SAGITTARIUS 22 NOVEMBER - 21 DECEMBER ARIES | 21 Mar - 20 Apr | FIRE Practice consideration and exercise control allowing the pent-up emotions and frustrations to be released before you create dramas in your life. TAURUS | 21 Apr - 20 May | EARTH Blaming others for your mishaps takes away your power and prevents you from looking into your own inner person. Be cautious what you say that can aggravate already explosive situations. GEMINI | 21 May - 21 Jun | AIR Through utilizing your own personal power and abilities you manage to expand and shine brightly. Seek and express the value of your own deeper insights and intuitions. CANCER | 20 Jun | 22 Jul | WATER You can only do one thing at a time, prioritize and go about it systematically and you'll cope far better. Rather create a sanction in your inner person and deal with your own emotional overload

NOVEMBER 2013 MERCURY IS RETROGRADE WHICH MEANS COMMUNICATION TURNS INWARDS AND IT IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO SIGN ANY LEGAL DOCUMENTS.

LEO | 23 Jul - 22 Aug | FIRE Emotional issues have never really been your comfort zone and in many ways you flippantly shrug them away. Now the hidden agendas are surfacing and have to be dealt with. VIRGO | 23 Aug - 22 Sept | EARTH The green-eyed monster, jealousy, may be whispering many negative things in your ear and maybe they are even true, but you need to discover your own creative power that will restore your self-worth. LIBRA | 23 Sept - 22 Oct | AIR This is the golden opportunity in which to empower yourself by gaining insight and adjusting your attitude to your life situations. The ability is within you to let go what you no longer need and build on what you feel is necessary for your life journey. SCORPIO | 23 Oct - 21 Nov | WATER Put an invisible lock on your tongue and don't spew out all the angry words that enter you mind, because words hurt more that sticks and stones and cannot be retracted once they have been spoken.

SAGITTARIUS | 22 Nov - 21 Dec | FIRE Your anger may erupt like a slumbering volcano and you will have to face responsibility for your actions. Avoid senseless confrontations and flinging your energies around in a macho way, regardless of your gender. CAPRICORN | 22 Dec - 19 Jan | EARTH Life presents challenges to all of us and we determine the outcome of events through our responses and attitude to these events. Scapegoats for your emotional baggage won't help - you have to work through your own 'stuff'. AQUARIUS | 20 Jan - 18 Feb | AIR This is an ambivalent period when you are not quite sure if you are coming or going and you have to keep a firm grip on your temper. Address your fears in truthfulness to take the sting out of situations. PISCES | 19 Feb - 20 Mar | WATER Don't treat these emotions flippantly as they are the key to your blockages and you need to deal with them to release them. Avoid promoting seeds of fear and suspicions as when they sprout they grow into monstrosities which have a way of coming back to you.

DECEMBER 2013

A PERIOD OF RESTRICTION IN THE WAY YOUR SHARE AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. LEO | 23 Jul - 22 Aug | FIRE If you are flying into a rage constantly then something is calling for some changes. Anger is an emotion you have to deal with. Emotions are part of our experience and need to be given attention when an imbalance occurs. VIRGO | 23 Aug - 22 Sept | EARTH As a conduit for negative emotional charges you need to be in touch with your own power-source and truth. Meditation is essential and you'll find such bliss in those quiet moments you allow yourself. LIBRA | 23 Sept - 22 Oct | AIR Life has a serious overtone and you'll find it best to keep your own counsel, while avoiding confrontations with siblings and associates. You have to learn that everyone has their own idiosyncrasies and stay true to yourself. SCORPIO | 23 Oct - 21 Nov | WATER Don't take blame for what you are not accountable for. Keep your own slate clean and seek to express your highest potential. Aim true and high. Life presents you with challenges in order for growth and expansion to come about.

SAGITTARIUS | 22 Nov - 21 Dec | FIRE Release and let go the redundant, negative emotions that you have held onto so long that you identify them as yourself. Ultimately you must accept that you are a spiritual being in a physical body and not the other way around therefore you are able to make your own choices. CAPRICORN | 22 Dec - 19 Jan | EARTH Worry becomes an ingrained behaviour pattern and eventually you are always looking for something to worry about. Buckle down and face the practical necessities of each day and rather spend your energy in solving your problems. AQUARIUS | 20 Jan - 18 Feb | AIR Life is a push and pull in four directions and you'll constantly find yourself fluctuating from one emotional drama to another. Until you realize that a practical hands on approach is mandatory. PISCES | 19 Feb - 20 Mar | WATER To acquire the necessary tools and learning, you need to apply yourself to the practical issues and work within chosen structures to achieve what you want, as this is your opportunity to bring about the growth that your life requires in order to flower.

Lois Siddhu lives in a circle of mountains in the Baviaanskloof. For professional Astrological Counseling CALL 049 839-1178 or Email: masonwaspstudio@telkomsa.net | Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/AstroReadings

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