Artist: VARIOUS
Title: SILULU VOL 1
Genre: AFRO DEEP HOUSE
It’s no secret that all eyes in the world of House are currently focused on South Africa and this album is a perfect example of the talent and diversity which is flourishing in our country.
Truth be told, my first impression of Peng Africa’s debut release was “it all sounds a bit local” but I quickly overcame my initial short sightedness and realized that in actual fact that’s the very beauty of this compilation, which provides a showcase of what’s happening right now in South African Underground House music.
Don’t expect one specific style or sub-genre because as the name Silulu suggests (Swati word meaning many more eggs in the chicken’s nest) although the featured artists share a common South African heritage, the eleven tracks differ significantly and as such the album offers something for everyone.
There’s elements of Afro Deep, Jazz, Soulful vocals and also something for those who prefer the simpler, deeper and darker sound of House but throughout the album is consistently “smooth”.
As a friend of mine, who also happens to be a serious House connoisseur recently commented, “The aim is not to sweat on the dance floor. You got to keep it smooth” and certainly while listening to this album in a variety of surroundings, whether it be driving, chilling at home on a lazy Sunday morning or DJing around Cape Town one consistent thing has been that I’ve found my body moving to these tracks without even realizing and smooth is a word that most definitely comes to mind.
As a DJ, the test for any track is to see how a crowd reacts when you play it live and in this regard it’s thumbs up for the soulful vocal track ‘City of Dreams’ by Soul Side Up featuring Keeno Lee which had heads and bodies moving when I dropped it during a recent set at arguably ones of Cape Town’s best lounge bars.
There’s plenty of other tracks on this release which I’m looking forward to playing out, in particular Mystic Streets by Deep Soul which is my personal favourite. A deep, slightly dark journey, perfect for an intimate club. Likewise, Querer by F.L.G.P. featuring Tanya and Cafro Deep’s The Goldilocks Zone also hit the spot.
Overall, an impressive compilation and I’m sure many people will be looking forward for future eggs from Peng Africa’s nest.
REVIEW: Darren Rose
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