Composed by Ernest & Shadrack Ndlovu
Produced by Taso Stephanou
Mixed by Dane Stevenson
From the 1985 album 'Taduma' (Blue Tree) 
Reissue coming soon on Afrosynth Records - AFS053

'Mapantsula' - E & S Brothers

E & S Brothers’ 1985 album Taduma holds a unique yet overlooked place in the history of South African dance music.  When Shadrack Ndlovu and Ernest Segeel teamed up with Dane Stevenson, owner of Blue Tree Studio in downtown Johannesburg, and journeyman producer Taso Stephanou, South Africa’s bubblegum era had just begun, spurred on by the success of Shangaan disco. The relative success of their debut 12” ‘Don’t Bang The Taxi Door’, marketed aggressively at taxi ranks throughout the country, helped put the Blue Tree label on the map and E & S were invited back to record a full album: Taduma, featuring on keyboards Dr Buke, an in-demand session player from Soweto.

Rooted in Africa, yet purely electronic, Taduma was a moderate hit, spurred by tracks like ‘Taxi Door’ and ‘Mhane’, its hypnotic refrain ‘Mhane, famba na wena’ meaning ‘Mother, I am going to you’. Other tracks like ‘Mapantsula’ and ‘Be Careful’ place Taduma within the street-savvy ‘pantsula’ style and dance synonymous with consecutive waves of music from disco to kwaito, house and beyond, while ‘Sikele Masike’ repurposes a traditional Shangaan work song. Vocally E & S are closer to rapping than singing, in a combination of English and vernacular – predating other credited pioneers of kwaito in SA like Senyaka and Spokes H. Driving the music instead of vocals are waves of searing synths over rudimentary but explosive drum machine sounds – the word ‘Taduma’ meaning the sound of the drum.

Remastered from the original tapes and reissued for the first time, pre-order Taduma (AFS053) here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/taduma

'Mhane' - E & S Brothers

From the album 'Umakhulu' (AFS052)

Ayanda Sikade on Drums
Nduduzo Makhathini on Piano
Simon Manana on Alto Sax
Nhlanhla Radebe on Bass

Produced by Ayanda Sikade
Recorded by Peter Auret at Sumo Sound
Mixed and Mastered by Gavan Eckhart at Soul Fire Studios
Artwork: Michael MacGarry
Cover photo: Vuyo Giba

© Ayanda Sikade 2021/22
℗ Afrosynth Records 2021/22 - www.afrosynth.com

Distributed by Rush Hour, Amsterdam - www.rushhour.nl https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/umakhulu

Umakhulu

'Imithandazo Yeengelosi' (prayer of angels) - Ayanda Sikade

From the album 'Starlight' (AFS054)
Composed and produced by Emil Zoghby & John Galanakis
© 1983 Heads Music
℗ 2023 Afrosynth Records
Out in early 2023. Pre-order here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/starlight-5

Starlight

Buy vinyl

'Jah Jah Love' - Starlight

(S. Wonder) Jobete Music
From the album 'Citi Express - Living for The City' (AFS055)

© 1991 ON RECORD
℗ 2023 AFROSYNTH RECORDS

Out in mid-2023 on Afrosynth Records, distributed by Rush Hour. 
Pre-order here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/living-city-1

Living for the City

'Living for the City' - Citi Express

(Gamble, Huff) Mighty Three Music

© 1991 ON RECORD
℗ 2023 AFROSYNTH RECORDS

Out in mid-2023 on Afrosynth Records, distributed by Rush Hour.
Pre-order here: www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/living-city-1

'Love is the Message' - Citi Express

Composed by D. Bridgens/N. Mohale
Published by Roi Music
Produced by D. Bridgens
Recorded at Kitchen Sync, Johannesburg
Engineered & mixed by D. Bridgens
© 1991 AZANIA RECORDS/MUSIC TEAM
℗ 2024 AFROSYNTH RECORDS

Distributed by Rush Hour - pre-order AFS056 here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/pt-house

Big World

Pre-order

'Big World' - PT House

Composed by D. Bridgens/N. Mohale
Published by Roi Music
Produced by D. Bridgens
Recorded at Kitchen Sync, Johannesburg
Engineered & mixed by D. Bridgens
© 1991 AZANIA RECORDS/MUSIC TEAM
℗ 2024 AFROSYNTH RECORDS

Distributed by Rush Hour - pre-order AFS056 here: www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/pt-house

2024

'Rebatla Muzik' - PT House

05/04/24

'Qinisela' - PT House

(T. Mkhize) Kato Music
From AFS045
© Music Team/CTV 1987
℗ Afrosynth Records 2024

pre-order here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/music-team-sampler

'Candy' - Isaac 'Cool Cat' Mofokeng

(H. Lebona) Roi Music
From AFS045
© Music Team/Spinna 1986
℗ Afrosynth Records 2024

pre-order here: www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/music-team-sampler

'My Love Is Yours' - Jappie Lebona

D2. Mandisi Dyantyis - 'Kuse Kude'

A1. Benjamin Jephta Quintet - 'Evolution, Pt. 2'

From the upcoming 4-track album 'Gorilla Man'(AFS047)
Originally released on the 1988 album Pick Six (CCP Record Company)
Composed & arranged by Condry Ziqubu
Engineers: Fab Grosso, Fernando Perdigao & Neville Holmes
Mixed by: Richard Mitchell

'Phola Baby' - Condry Ziqubu

Composed, arranged and produced by Condry Ziqubu & Selwyn Shandel
CCP Record Company 1986
Reissued by Afrosynth Records - AFS047 out in early 2021. 
pre-order here: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/gorilla-man-0

'Gorilla Man' - Condry Ziqubu

Composed by Moses Mafiri
Produced & Arranged by Selwyn Shandel
Digital Editing: S. Shandel & F. Grosso
Engineer: Fab Grosso
1985 CCP Records/EMI
From the upcoming Afrosynth reissue AFS046
more details: http://www.afrosynth.com/2021/01/captin-mosez-fly-cherry-fly.html
Pre-order via Rush Hour: https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/fly-cherry-fly

'Fly Cherry Fly (Extended Vocal)' - Captain Mosez

Composed by Moses Mafiri
Produced & Arranged by Selwyn Shandel
Digital Editing: S. Shandel & F. Grosso
Engineer: Fab Grosso
1985 CCP Records/EMI
From the upcoming Afrosynth reissue AFS046, out in March 2021.
more details: http://www.afrosynth.com/2021/01/captin-mosez-fly-cherry-fly.html
Pre-order via Rush Hour: www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/fly-cherry-fly

'Hey! Hey! Hey! (Extended Vocal)' - Captain Mosez

DJ Okapi brings a forgotten era of South African pop music back to life.

djokapi@gmail.com

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