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Proud to announce my Debut EP on Dekmantel, it features collabs with some amazing artist from South and East Africa. NarchBeats Msafiri Zawose, Pendo Zawose Abakisimba Musical Troupe out on Vinyl + Digital 22 May 2017.
Pre-order - http://shop.dekmantel.com/

Dekmantel Shop

Dekmantel - Aweh EP 2017

Esa & Kamazu - Shukuma EP here - https://awehmusic.bandcamp.com/album/esa-kamazu-shukuma-ep

A1. Esa & Kamazu - Shukuma (Original)
B1. Esa & Kamazu - Shukuma (Dub)
B2. Esa, Kamazu & Dirty Bungalow - Muntu

AWEH is delighted to share an exciting new musical project and present the highly anticipated collaboration EP titled "Shukuma." This ambitious project unites the visionary label head, Esa, with the legendary South African Kwaito artist, Kamazu, hailing from the vibrant township of Soweto, Johannesburg. Crafted meticulously over two years, from 2020 to 2022, "Shukuma" is a testament to the limitless power of musical synergy and the awe-inspiring richness of South African culture.

The title track, Shukuma, is a prime example of the collaborative brilliance between Esa and Kamazu, blending future kwaito-inspired elements with acid house. It represents a sonic manifestation of their shared creative vision. The EP pays homage to Kwaito and its profound connection to Chicago House, which left a lasting impression on the South African music genre during the 90s. Additionally, the EP boasts another future Kwaito classic, Muntu. This infectious dancefloor banger showcases the continued creative partnership of Esa and Kamazu but also features the innovative contributions of Dirty Bungalow, infusing the EP with a fresh and vibrant energy into the mix. Muntu has already gained recognition and acclaim, having been featured in the esteemed podcast series, The Invisible Hand.

To enhance the complete auditory and visual experience surrounding Shukuma, Esa has collaborated with the exceptionally talented artists and friends Floating B_strd and Sanoy. Together, they have crafted an exquisite piece of art that encapsulates the very essence of the EP. The final artwork will be unveiled on the official release day, building anticipation and intrigue. This unique fusion of music and visual art adds depth and excitement to the project.

"Shukuma" transcends being a mere EP; it invites listeners on an journey that celebrates the profound talents of Esa, Kamazu, and the creative minds that contributed to its realisation. Through the fusion of traditional Kwaito elements and contemporary influences, this release truly showcases the artistry behind the music. In an era dominated by recording reissues, "Shukuma" emerges as a standout, embodying the fusion of artistic expression and cultural exploration.

Shukuma

Shukuma EP

Buy here

AWEH003 - Shukuma EP

Esa, Kamazu & Dirty Bungalow - Muntu - AWEH003

Pre order here:
https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/vem-comigo-1

Esa's Afro-Synth Band - Vem Comigo feat. Diego Moraes

Esa's Afro-Synth Band - Vem Comigo feat. Forest Law (Dub)

Available here: 
https://www.rushhour.nl/record/vinyl/i-see-you-feat-special-touch-aweh-no-wahala-feat-franck-biyong-and-tasneem-0

I See You - Single

Esa & The Invisible Hand -  I See You feat. Special Touch

Esa & The Invisible Hand - Aweh No Wahala feat. Franck Biyong & Tasneem

Episode 15 of my residency on Radio Sofa 🌄

Esa is a London-based South African producer, DJ, and curator renowned for his musical polymathy. He seamlessly blends Kwaito house, afro disco, gritty techno and deep percussive grooves.
As a resident DJ at Sub Club, he proved his natural talent behind the decks and developed a strong European following. He can be heard on his monthly slot on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM.
Esa's dedication to expanding musical horizons is evident through his educational programs in Africa, South America, and beyond, where he collaborates with local talent and seeks creative inspiration.

Embark on a sun-kissed journey with this mix, an irresistible blend of melodies, groovy beats, and vibrant rhythms that will have you dancing and smiling all day long.

Esa
@esawilliams
https://www.instagram.com/esawilliams/
https://worldwidefm.net/episode/esa-presents


📡 Radio Sofa
@radio-sofa
www.radio-sofa.com/
www.facebook.com/webradio.sofa/
www.instagram.com/radio.sofa/

Radio Sofa • Nofraje invite ESA

Jamie Woon - Night Air - Esa & Mervin Granger Edit

Ntombi Ndaba & Esa's Afro-Synth Band (Live in Stockholm Sept 13-2019)

Exclusive as part of the Africaine 808 Album "Basar" which is available now at all your favourite record stores, it includes a limited edition vinyl version bundled with a bonus 10" containing remixes of the previously unheard "Tummy Tummy" by Highlife types Auntie Flo and Esa.

Africaine 808 - Tummy Tummy - Esa, Makadem & Nonku Phiri's Afro Synth Remix

Gilles Peterson presents the premiere of ‘Cape Town Sounds’, a documentary made as part of Lufthansa's City of the Month campaign. It shows Gilles exploring the music of the city and what makes it unique, featuring a visit to Ntone Edjabe, founder of Chimurenga and the Pan African Space Station.

Listen to an exclusive snippet of the documentary which will air on worldwidefm.net on Monday 27th February at 10AM GMT. Find out more about the premiere at http://bit.ly/2lhYpoF

Gilles Peterson presents 'Cape Town Sounds' featuring Ntone Edjabe

Gilles Peterson presents the premiere of ‘Cape Town Sounds’, a documentary made as part of Lufthansa's City of the Month campaign. It shows Gilles exploring the music of the city and what makes it unique, featuring a visit to Nonku Phiri, Cape Town based vocalist. 

Listen to an exclusive snippet of the documentary which will air on worldwidefm.net on Monday 27th February at 10AM GMT. Find out more about the premiere at http://bit.ly/2lhYpoF

Gilles Peterson presents 'Cape Town Sounds' featuring Nonku Phiri

Worldwide FM presents 'Cape Town Sounds', an audio documentary which explores the rich musical heritage of Cape Town, as part of Lufthansa's #LHcityofthemonth campaign.

The documentary follows Gilles over the course of the day as he sets out to learn about the history of the city's music, and infiltrate the dynamic contemporary scene. He begins with the music of the Khoisan bushmen, through to Cape Jazz of the '60s, onto hip hop of the '80s and '90s, through to the spoken word and current musical climate of today.

By discovering where the music is from and where it is going, Gilles discovers what makes Cape Town so special.

Cape Town Sounds

Esa - Aweh EP - Dekmantel - DKMNTL047

a1.	Esa & Narch Beats - Blast (Ft. Pendo Zawose)
b1.	Esa - Rift Valley (Ft. Abakisimba)
b2.	Esa - Rent-A-Disc

http://shop.dekmantel.com/release/5340/aweh-ep

Dekmantel happily presents Esa Williams’s debut EP Aweh on the label. With his discography growing steadily over the past couple of years, the South African artist constantly breathes new energy into his music by magnificently incorporating global influences in his work. His Dekmantel Records debut and three-tracked Aweh is no exception, and includes his promising hit track ‘Blast’.

For Williams, Aweh, which is Capetonian slang for “awareness”, spreads the message of his continuous musical journey and presents his many musical partnerships. Especially, ‘Blast’ shows a true master piece on this release and is a perfect mixture of eerie Afro-noise with staggering traditional Gogo music vocals. “It’s very special to me”, Williams says about the track. “I made this when I was in Uganda to record an album with the children of the legendary Tanzanian artist Hukwe Zawose, including Msafiri Zawose. One of them, Pendo Zawose, had an extremely powerful presence and was doing incredible backing vocals. I wanted to see what she would do if I presented her something totally different, so I put on an extended version of a modern kwaito beat I got from Narch Beats. We only did one take, but her vocals completely blew me away.’’ 

The flipside covers two well-thought gems including ‘Rift Valley’, a house track mixed up with drums and vocals from the East African collective Santuri and Abakisimba. Aweh’s ‘Rent-A-Disc’ represents the name of a Cape Town based music library that opened its doors in the early to late 90s. The library was the place to be to get all the early house records for many local DJs on the Cape Flats – including Williams’s late father – and served as the inspiration for the B-side track. A dark, energetic and yet percussive Cape Town meets Chicago vibe is the result.

DKMNTL047 // Esa - Aweh EP

Vinyl + Digital available May 22. Pre-order here: http://shop.dekmantel.com

Aweh EP (DKMNTL047)

Esa & NarchBeats - Blast (ft. Pendo Zawose)

Esa joins the Dekmantel ranks with his Aweh EP, which employs traditional Gogo vocals and modern kwaito beats while paying homage to Cape Town’s 1990s importer of early house music. ‘Rent-A-Disc’ on the B-side takes its name from the aforementioned music outlet, which was a key source of music discovery for Esa's father.

Read more & buy: http://www.stampthewax.com/2017/05/16/premiere-esa-rent-a-disc/
Listen on Youtube: bit.ly/rent-a-disc

Listen on Youtube

Esa - Rent-A-Disc (STW Premiere)

► '90s kwaito, slo-mo funk & secret Highlife edits combined for a majestic set by Esa in the Sunday sun at Dekmantel 2017.
► Follow us on SoundCloud: http://blrrm.tv/subscribe-sc

Esa Boiler Room x Dekmantel Festival DJ Set

endless flight 87
12"&digital
distributed by kompakt

a2 bra hugh

a1 son op

Over the coming months I'll be sharing snippets of my sets at Phonox. Here's an hour captured during a warmup at my new residency. 

Since I’ve started it's allowed me to delve a bit deeper into the sounds I grew up with in Cape Town, South Africa around the late 80’s to early 90’s. It’s been very special and loads of fun playing and sharing "Kwaito" in particular, a genre formed at the end of apartheid which presented new musical possibilities and ideas, taking inspiration from classic Chicago House but with a slower and groovier tempo, enjoy!

Tracklist:
1. Sylvester - I Need Somebody To Love Tonight (Instrumental)
2. Nu Guinea - Ddoje Facce
3. Zazou Bikaye - Angel (Long Version)
4. Sea Bee - Thiba
5. Alaska - Hosher (Instrumental)
6. Mdu - Tsiki Tsiki
7. Alaska - Accuse (Instrumental)
8. Penny Penny - Maria
9. Professor Rhythm - Via Botswana
10. Hot Slot Machine - Rhythm (Young Marco Fix)
11. Chappies - Beat Gangsters
12. And beyond, join me at Phonox weekly and come experience the rest….

Phonox Residency (Warmup Hour)

Each Saturday at Phonox I delve deeper into the music that's inspired and continues to influence me, sounds from my travels and tracks from my homeland South Africa that's almost been lost forever!

This hour mix is a great representation of the colourful sounds and what you can expect as we start moving into the middle of the night, getting a little bit more loose and ready to dance together All Night Long!

Phonox Residency (Groove Hour)

In September 2019, Soundway Records will release Esa Presents Amandla: Music To The People, a double vinyl electronic music compilation by DJ and producer Esa Williams. 

The first single from this album is "Tucheza (Esa Extended Mix)" by Ze Spirits Band, a young group from Bagamoyo in Tanzania.

Growing up in Cape Town, South Africa, during the last days of Apartheid, Esa recalls the immense power that music had in resisting oppression and division. “Amandla, Awethu”, which literally means “the power is ours”, was an ubiquitous chant echoing throughout the politically charged atmosphere of the time – a call to unite, and a call from which this release derives not only its title, but its intention as well. 

“Music was a crucial way of bringing people and communities together”, reflects Esa, “and it’s what I hope to achieve with this compilation, too”. 

For Esa Williams is not only a musical polymath but also passionate about connecting people through music. A skilled DJ, producer and educator, Esa has found ways of bringing people together and enhancing the talent present - from being a band leader, reigniting the legendary Ata Kak band from Ghana, or a collaborator with the likes of Tanzanian artist Mim Suleiman, to focusing his energy on electronic music-focused educational programmes in Cuba, Brazil, and East & South Africa 

The result is a rainbow of complementary electronic styles hailing from not only South Africa but further afield, including zouk from Brazil and the French Antilles, as well as Afro-futurism and Bacardi House. Together, they form a comprehensive picture that connects the dots of Esa’s musical journey – from growing up in South Africa, to artists he has encountered in his worldwide travels who have helped develop his identity as a musician.

Esa Presents Amandla: Music To The People

Tucheza (Esa Extended Mix)

Buy or Stream

Ze Spirits Band - Tucheza (Esa Extended Mix)

Live from Giant Steps sharing all my favourites, particularly some inspirational women in my life and legacy artist from South Africa.

@ Giant Steps

Wandering the world with open ears.

Read more here: https://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=704

@esawilliams

Resident Advisor podcast

RA.704 Esa

Digital only version something different from the Original and MM's Mix, nice warm-up track.
Enjoy!



Esa & Mervin Granger - Luxarama - MG at The Luxarama Dub *DIGITAL ONLY*

AliOOFT and Telford brings some lush deepness as "MIdnight Marauders" to the already deep Original this will be on the vinyl B-side.
Enjoy!


Esa & Mervin Granger - Luxarama - Midnight Marauders Mix

Esa & Mervin Granger - Luxarama - Original Mix

London based South African, Esa Williams is a musical polymath as a producer, DJ and Band Leader.

Esa

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