This edition in the Ngoma Mix Series focuses on new 125 bpm African Electronic Dance Music.  As i have argued in the “Real Roots of Kwaito” piece for This Is Africa, American and European Disco, House, and Hiphop were crucially influential in the beginning stages of development of post-Apartheid South African urban music, but since then SA House and Kwaito have matured and grown into its own skin, much more an extension of indigenous rhythm cultures than related to “Western” dance music.  For example the beat patterns in these tracks are distinctly different: the constant off-beat high hats found in the US and Europe are almsot entirely absent; and with much more rich and developed rhythm elements and very different emphasis, this music should probably be thought of as simply new African dance music, with not much to do with what is traditionally known as “House” or “Techno” at all.  

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Selections come mainly from South Africa and Angola, with lots of percussion, many balafons, a touch of jazz, some diasporic elements from Cuba and Colombia, couple tunes made in Spain, and a  shot of Nigerian Pop at the peak.  This is the first part, relatively bright in feel:  stay tuned for DRUM 2 – the dark side.

01 Dj Shimza & Cuebur Ft 340ml – Let The Sunshine (Reprise)
02 Invaders Of Africa – Impi Yamakhanda
03 Culoe De Song – Tsonga Song
04 Pro Tee – Thee Broken Keys
05 Dj Small Jon – Return Of the Drum
06 Black Motion feat. Nqobi  – Second Thoughts
07 Dr Ada T feat. Muzaic – Ewe
08 Jason Cheiron – Primal
09 Monocles, Slezz – Umba Kayo (Dj Alpha Kazu Dub)
10 Mbuandje – Mbuandja (Reprise) + Zozo – Totos Dance
11 Pablo Fierro – Agua (Nuevayorkquinas Mix)
12 Pablo Fierro – Sandulivi
13 Kosha Roots – Revival
14 Homeboyz Muzik – Samburu (Jungle Drums Original)
15 Dj Ad feat ZB E PJ – Patagoloza
16 Heavy K feat. Sarah Webster- The Gun Song (A Lesson Twice Learned Edit)
17 Lvovo – Original
18 3G Music – Vagabos
19 Pinto Dos Santos – Ma’e
20 Dj Kapiro & Mad Aksoul – Akanela (Oliver Twist Theme) + Estelle ft. D’banj – Oliver Twist (Remix)
21 Big Nuz – Rockafella
22 Franklin Rodriques – Para Na Wey
23 The Busy Twist – LDN Luanda
24 Dj Satellite & Dj Patrick – Malembe, Malembe
25 Boddhi Satva feat. Mangala Camara – Nankoumandjan (Dekalstrumental Mix)