Blue Gene - Too Much (Live at Redbull Studios Cape Town)

Just returned from their tour reaching as far as Durban and Harare, with the close at the infamous Oppikoppi Festival 2012, Blue Gene (consisting of South African spoken word artist CreamyEwokBaggends and the french jazz guitarist Charles Amblard) have a lot more to offer in the next coming months, including a new EP and movie. While in Cape Town they showcased their new material live at Redbull Studios. Don’t miss our upcoming interview with the guys themselves!

Jesse Boykins III- I Can’t Stay (Produced by Gold Panda)

Set to perform at this year’s STR CRD Johannesburg, New Yorker Jesse Boykins III and UK producer Gold Panda get together for this banger of a track. Only in his early 20s, already throwing out some of the best indie-soul tracks with hauntingly husky Ian Kamau-like vocals, we cannot wait to see what he has in store for South Africa. Along with Gold Panda, Afta-1 and Machinedrum, everybody seems to want to get a piece. You should too!

TNGHT - Top Floor

Glasgow, Scotland and Montreal meet in this long awaited collab between Hudson Mohawke and Lunice. Deliciously bassy, this EP is a sample orgy that demands some misbehaviour… It is the season after all. Go on, listen for yourself…

Marbert Rocel – Small Hours

The first track on this here mini-mix, ‘Cause of Lovin’ is what turns a listener into a fan. Mild and groovy, this band takes quirk to a more lounge-y level. Plug in and invite some friends over for din dins and some pseudo-intellectual wine-induced conversation. This album will get under your skin.

The Soul Housing Project - Digital World

The brainchild of South African jazz pianist Bokani Dyer and Goldfish vocalist Sakhile Moleshe, this side project is one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets. In the words of the boys themselves, ‘whether you’re a broken soul, soulful soul, joyful soul, inspired soul, lost soul or a playful soul… There is a place for you in the music.’ Performing regularly around Cape Town in association with The Pan African Space Station and The Pressure respectively with music as inviting as their words, who wouldn’t want a place in this music?

The Shaolin Afronauts - Quest Under Capricorn

1970s West Africa must have been the hippest place on earth. Along with the Fela Kutis and the Tony Allens of the world, The Shaolion Afronauts really bring it, so if you like to get a little funked up every now and again, wait until you get your hands on their latest release, ‘Quest Under Capricorn.’

Ian Kamau - One Day Soon

Currently on his Pan-African tour, having just performed at The Dojo SA in Bloemfontein this past weekend, Toronto-raised Ian Kamau is another sacrilegiously underrated act. Sharing a stage in Cape Town alongside Tumi Molekane of The Volume and Femi Kuti himself among others, this year has been great for this uber-conscious creative wordsmith. He’s recently released his newest offering entitled One Day Soon along with some artworks to go with it; catch the entire album here!

Bad Bad Not Good- Flashing Lights

Apparently one of the most overlooked groups this year yet, BBNG has released their second album free online entitled BBNG2, and it is FRESH. With some of the most amazing covers you’ll get this side of the underground, from My Bloody Valentine to J Dilla to Kanye West, this jazz-hop-step trio will show you something you’ve never witnessed before. Bad Bad Not Good? Not bad…

Crazy White Boy feat. Nonku – Zoma

Having worked with the likes of B Team and Zaki Ibrahim, the 1/3 of the now-split hip hop outfit Pangaea, Nonku Phiri is a vocal powerhouse. This joint is a banger; Nonku’s soulfully catching voice makes you wanna sing right along even if you don’t understand the lyrics. With Crazy White Boy doing their Crazy White Boy tech-housey thing, this track is one you can’t sit down for.

Author: Shiba Melissa Mazaza

Preparation is key in getting to a point where you can raise anarchy effectively. So we took lists to Oppikoppi and found out what goes into raising hell. Here are some of our favorites and their own survival kits for the legendary Oppikoppi Music Festival.

Kid Fonque

Name: Allan Nicoll
Total number of days at Oppi: 2
Total number of hours slept: 2.5
Traveled from: Johannesburg

Items consumed:
Castle Lite
Amstel
Vodka
Cigarettes
Potjie
Omelette
Mini donuts
Gum
Tea
Water

Survival Kit:
CD Case
Oppi Mix
Camera
Headphones
Earplugs
Beer
Cash
Oppi Card
Gum
Cigarettes
Phone
Flyer for next gig
Warm things

Gazelle

Name: Xander Ferreira, Nick Matthews
Total number of days at oppi: 1
Total number of hours slept: 0
Traveled from: New York via Cape Town

Items consumed:
Windhoek draft
Red Bull
Malboro
Smirnoff vodka
Havanna Club
Jaegermeister
Wimpy dagwood Braai

Survival Kit:
Trademark Pillbox Hat
Shoes
Gazelle CD
Sunglasses
Cellphones
Lighter
Beer
Gum
List of important numbers
Business Card
Something from Fender

LARK

Name: Inge Beckmann, Paul Ressel
Total number of days at oppi: 2
Total number of hours slept: 4
Traveled from: Cape Town

Items consumed:
Airwaves gum
Camel lights
Windhoek
Whiskey
Red wine
Footlong hotdog
Fruit
Green tea
Ajitsuke nori (Japanese seaweed snack)

Survival Kit:
Stage Outfit
Sunglasses
Mic
Earphones
Plectrum
Fruit
Green Tea
Double Muff

Van Coke Kartel

Name: Francois Van Coke, Wynand Myburgh, Justin Kruger, Jedd Kossew, Jason Oosthuizen
Total number of days at oppi: 2
Total number of hours slept: 4
Traveled from: Cape Town

Items consumed:
Bottles of whisky
Red Bull
Beer
Cigarettes
Chicken potjie
Steak
Salad Fruit

Survival Kit:
Whisky
Red Bull
Fruit
Yogurt
Cigarettes
Sunglasses
Scarf
Watch
Nosespray
Vitamins
Sweets
Extra Zildjian Drumsticks

If these preparations prove anything is that you cannot predict a storm, but you can brace for it. Rock on, rock hard and see you at the next Oppikoppi.