Sun-EL Musician’s impressive new album expands his sonic universe, drawing from African roots and mixing them with electronic dance music for an engaging fusion of 3 Step, Soulful and Deep House sounds.
Nozinja performed at Villain in Williamsburg and had the audience dancing to his tunes to an incredible 189 beats per minute!
Afro-House
Afro-House music is a genre of house music that blends traditional African with jazz and techno influences, producing an upbeat tempo, polyrhythmic patterns, melodic vocal lines, and unique sounds that resonate across cultures and backgrounds. Afro-House has grown and changed over the years and continues to change the way we understand human beings – its music serves as an expression of African culture with themes of pain, loss, romance, joy, etc.
Originating in South Africa and now spread around the world, Afro House music was first popularised by South African producers before spreading worldwide. Producers have long been drawn to traditional African rhythms that come together with house music for an innovative new genre known as Afro House – producing its many subgenres like tribal house and Afro tech. Within the UK alone it has experienced significant growth, thanks to parties such as Drums Radio and Motherland records; additionally a group of UK producers have begun supporting African artists’ work through promotions of Afro Tech events like Drums Radio and Motherland records; these parties and producers have helped promote artists from Africa while helping promote artists from Africa themselves!
Afro-House stands out as an international dance genre in the UK; unlike previous genres like Jungle Dubstep & Grime that were local. Its global sound features pulsating beats and mystifying instrumentation which can transport listeners anywhere around the globe; its spiritual roots lie deep within African history while its soulfulness brings peace & healing for listeners alike.
Afro-House music’s hypnotic, trance-like style brings together elements from both past and future; its beats are driven by bongoes, congas, and claves; these sounds are further highlighted by polyrhythmic patterns resembling African instruments – creating music both hypnotic and upbeat with infectious grooves that will have you moving to dance all night long!
Afro-Tech
Sanele Sithole, better known by his stage name Sun-El Musician in South Africa, has made an indelible mark on dance music culture. A self-taught producer with influences spanning Kwaito, Tribal House and Deep House music genres; Sun-El Musician has combined these styles into something called Afro-Tech music that blends traditional Zulu vocals with drum and bass making his style perfect for today’s musical landscape.
Sun-El’s productions combine indigenous instruments with melodic log drums for an eclectic sound that has earned him international acclaim. Afro-Tech music is becoming increasingly popular worldwide and Sun-El is well-known for creating dance floor bangers that tour globally at iconic club venues and stadium spaces alike.
Asanda Lusaseni Mvana, more commonly known by her stage name Msaki, has established herself in the Afro House scene as an influential artist. Hailing from East London’s music scene and boasting her ethereal voice on numerous tracks from Afro house tracks; Msaki pays homage to both its rich heritage and traditions while reflecting them through her art.
Kenyan producer, DJ and Sound Engineer SURAJ is another pioneer of Afro-House. His electronic music blends African cultural influences with European dance-music elements to produce captivating dance tunes that have proven popular among European dance music listeners – as can be heard by his cover of Major League DJz’s Thief (which he released himself).
As well as providing an insight into AfroTech developments, this festival also serves to support female artists and entrepreneurs. With high-profile speakers from tech, business, media, entertainment and beyond presenting at this conference for two consecutive years in Austin – it has already amassed an impressive audience.
AfroTech stands out from traditional conferences by providing real-life solutions to issues confronting Black people, and its organizers are committed to helping the community thrive despite an ever more challenging business environment. Speakers at AfroTech have addressed topics ranging from gender equality and entrepreneurship after major companies laid off employees to gender inequality and job losses at major firms. Toni Ade, marketing manager at 3ngine in Houston’s media company 3ngine says AfroTech provides Black professionals in tech an excellent chance to network and learn from other industry leaders.
Afro-Disco
As the 1970s began, an African musical and production collective provided their own take on disco music by blending Western dance beats with local African styles and rhythms to produce “kwaito.” Recently, labels have begun reissuing albums and compilations from these musicians; often making their work available to western listeners for the first time.
One such album from 1975 by Alhaji Sidiku Buari stands out. A gold medal athlete and student of sculpting, Buari had an undeniably restless spirit; by the time he made music – his debut self-titled release featuring both Western electronic composition and Makossa grooves — must have seemed groundbreaking at the time and still sounds quite avant garde today.
One excellent mix CD from Africa released by New Yorker Brian Shimkovitz in 2006 called Awesome Tapes from Africa stands out. Shimkovitz collected several obscure LPs and cassettes while travelling through Ghana, creating an upbeat mix of highlife, disco and rap that manages to sound contemporary despite the primitive quality recording quality used.
Nigerian musicians have recently contributed to the revival of Afro-EDM, an innovation of house and electronic music that blends traditional African instruments with modern production techniques. One such track by Nihiloxica – Madagascar by funk-disco outfit Nihiloxica – stands out with its combination of Western drumming with seven piece Bugandan ensemble to produce a chaotic yet authentic racket.
D’banj is an iconic figure of modern Afro-house music. Starting his career in Nigeria before signing with Kanye West’s label and scoring his global hit Oliver Twist (an Afro-house tune with hook worthy of Sugarhill Gang or Funky 4 + 1) in 2011, D’banj became internationally renowned due to the song’s universal message – as part of rising political resistance against apartheid, Oliver Twist proved an ideal response with its inspiring tone.
Afro-Pop
Africa boasts 54 nations with various languages and musical traditions, yet Afro-Pop is used as an umbrella term to cover many contemporary African music styles. From Algerian rai to Senegalese mbalax and East African taarab, Afro-Pop music draws influence from multiple genres to form a smooth danceable rhythm that brings various genres together into a danceable rhythm. Afro-pop musicians draw from influences as diverse as funk, R&B jazz disco funk; guitars pianos trumpets saxophones etc; popular examples such as Fela Kuti who sang about corruption and social inequality within Nigeria in his songs that addressed issues related to social inequality within Nigerian society.
Afro-Pop artists’ success has significantly broadened the global appeal of African traditional music. Acts such as P-Square, D’Banj, 2Face Idibia and Wizkid have become household names due to their hit albums and collaborations with western pop, rap and R&B artists.
These artists have helped pave the way for new African acts to find success, with their hits appearing in films, TV shows and commercials as well as inspiring western musicians such as Drake, Tiwa Savage, Davido and Stefflon Don. By taking Afro-Pop global, these musicians are changing perceptions about what constitutes pop music.
While Afro-Pop artists are finding mainstream success, others are making waves underground. One such artist is Kenyan musician Unco JingJong whose debut album features an eclectic blend of kapuka music and dancehall beats. Unco has drawn the attention of major record labels and could become an international superstar.
Sun-EL Musician is an exceptional producer who continues to expand his sonic universe with Afro-house, Afro-tech and dream house sounds. His latest offering Africa Electronic Dance Music Mix 003 boasts such artists as Ami Faku, Simmy and Linos Rosetta; all guaranteed to get your body moving on the dance floor!