Izigqinamba - Phelimuncasi & Metal Preyers (2024)

I know what you’re thinking: “sure, this guy manages to look less old and white and midwestern by talking about music from Africa, but it always seems to be west Africa.” Well, you’re mostly right, but I also love the Ugandan label Nyege Nyege Tapes, who have their finger on the pulse of outsider electronic music from all over the central and southern parts of the continent.

Phelimuncasi is a South African outfit that lives in a genre called Gqom (gotta love genres I can’t even pronounce). This is a session they recorded this project with their labelmates, the globe-trotting A/V duo Metal Preyers.

The stock in trade here is bass-heavy beats in unexpectedly subtle and off-kilter rhythms. It gets buzzy and claustrophobic in places, then shortly after will widen out into a sort of dub-bass swagger.

If you listen to this music a lot, you might think this is generic. But it’s and exciting listen for me.