see also August Mix Special! From Bubblegum 2 Kwaito
the ADE -Amsterdam Dance Event-, the largest dance conference and festival in the world starts this Wednesday 14th October 2015. 3,000 participants –professionals from around the world-are expected and the clubs and venues will be inhabited by an estimated 350,000 visitors. Now that EDM (Electronic Dance Music) has become mainstream worldwide the program will showcase the biggest dj-stars over a number of five nights. But mainstream commercial big money music is not only what’s up. This year the focus is strongly on the booming electronic music scenes of Africa as well. High time for Mzansi House!
In the fringe of the festival a small selection of hot and happening African music can be heard. In addition, the documentary “Future Sound of Mzansi”, about current South African dance music, is on show in De Balie.
DJ / producer Black Coffee: “There is no specific sound going on in Johannesburg, everything is happening. Commercial house, deep house, all kinds of house. Everyone has their own favourite sound. All I can say, because we’re African, it just revolves around rhythms. The rhythm gives us hope. ”
The first raves in the early 90s emerged in South Africa as Black Coffee remembers. The 39-year-old DJ began ten years ago and has become the most famous DJ/producer from South Africa.
Belgian/Dutch DJ/producer Eddy De Clercq played on one of the first raves in Durban,”Mission to Mars” in 1996, and is very impressed by Black Motion: “That to me is the ultimate South African house group. Especially live, when they perform with a band featuring some very strong percussionists and singers. Their sound is not typical Electronic Dance Music but relates more to the original house-vibe. Sexy and spiritual. Black Motion makes the most melodious jazzy house and their driving rhythms are just irresistible. Listen to their track “Rainbow” for instance, which is more pop oriented house music, such an innovative way of creating dance music. ”
14/15/16/17/18 Oct 2015
Black Coffee & Friends perform on October 16 in Radion, Amsterdam. Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band with DJ Afrobot on October 17 at Pan-amafropeans in OT301 and on October 18 at Danse Danse in Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam. DJ Eddy De Clercq mixed this compilation of his favourite tracks of Mzansi House especially for Soul Safari. Hear some of the best tracks by South Africa’s Black Motion, Culoe De Song….and more.
last Christmas my review and mix of the past year represented the fertile music of South Africa, this year Soul Safari criss-crosses the whole continent in search of music treasures.
