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audiot909 · 4 years ago

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UK Amapiano and Funkyama,and the influence of South Africa on UK dance music

I remember what it was that first made me aware of their existence, it must have been the release of Scratcha DVA.

'& BAGA MAN EP', released in February 2021 on Hyperdub, came as a shock to me, as I had been studying Amapiano throughout the year 2020.

It was an unknown sound, clearly influenced by Amapiano but with a distinctly UK essence.

https://scratchadva.bandcamp.com/track/scratchclart-razzler-man-razzclart

The influence of Amapiano is felt most strongly in the first track, which is surprisingly fast at 124 BPM.

It is very fast.

Considering that most of the South African Amapianos are made at around 113 BPM, this is an exceptionally fast speed.

From 0:15 onwards, a bass called "log drum" comes in, and from 0:30 onwards, a UK style bass line comes in.

I was presented with the moment when South African dance music was sublimated into UK style, and I was turned over like "How is that possible?

I was overturned.

Since this release I've started to check out releases from producers such as Razzler Man, DJ Polo, LR Groove and Karen Nyame KG who were featured on the & BAGA MAN EP. I've noticed that in the UK there are now more and more producers like Amapiano and Gqom who are taking influence from South African dance music.

The next thing I noticed was that in the UK Amapiano was being played alongside more familiar genres such as UK Funky. I was very surprised and excited to hear a new interpretation of Amapiano, a genre that is very familiar to me. Next up is a mix that DJ Polo and European305 did for Rinse FM.

https://soundcloud.com/rinsefm/djpolo160321

It's still fast. It starts with Amapiano, but the BPM is over 120 at this point. I remember being very impressed with the smoothness of the music, which led straight into UK funky and tribal house. After a year of chasing the South African style of Amapiano, I had a fixed idea of what to expect, and I was thinking that there might be a connection with other genres sooner or later, but the fusion was so brilliant that I took my hat off to him. And the fact that it was played on Rinse FM suggests that this movement is already quite big.

When it was posted on Twitter, it was titled "Funkyama vs Amapiano guest mix" and I was so curious that I asked the UK producer this question.

Then I got this response from a UK producer.

Again, the name European305 comes up. Apparently they are the proponents of Funkyama, a genre created in March last year and influenced by Amapiano and Funky House.

It was here that I became convinced that Amapiano was starting to catch on in the UK, and that it was on the verge of its own evolution. So I started to look into when Amapiano first became known in the UK and came across this article.

https://www.9bills.co.uk/amapiano/

The title is "The Face Of UK Amapiano". It's just perfect. Here are some of the things that caught my eye.

The southern African diaspora community within the UK has also embraced the sound, headline shows courtesy of GrillyardUk featuring Prince Kaybee, Kabza De Small and Vigro Deep have sold out in the UK.

Award winning DJ, Fistoz is arguably the most well-known DJ specialising in the Amapiano genre. He has DJ’d alongside south African powerhouses Vigro Deep and Kabza de Small all across the UK, Ireland and Scotland. Fistoz is currently crowdfunding for an Ampiano festival which will be free entry for all to enjoy.

It's a culture that is already taking root. The article itself was written in August 2020, so perhaps it's a little more well known now.

Reading the article reminded me of a story I once heard about the cultural influence of the South African diaspora in the UK. In Japan, it is often said that the UK has been greatly influenced by dub and sound system culture imported from Jamaica, but the relationship between South Africa and the UK is not so well known, and it was a fresh surprise when I first heard about it. If there are any problems with this description, it is partly due to my lack of study, but also to the fact that there is information that has not made it to Japan.

Back to the topic at hand, this statement from ScratchaDVA has impressed me greatly.

Yes, he has managed to take South African dance music and create his own style quite early on. You can read more about this in Japan here, and if you're interested, you can use a translation site to read about it.

https://www.jfmusicwritterclass.com/entry/lady-lykez-buzz-lightyear

Juls has also released a number of important releases that we haven't had a chance to mention so far, so be sure to check them out. The UK's Amapiano, featuring South African queens Busiswa and Jaz Karis, is a fine example of what can be achieved.

https://julsbaby.bandcamp.com/track/soweto-blues-featuring-busiswa-and-jaz-karis

I have to confess, living in Japan, I'm not sure exactly how big this UK Amapiano culture is. I don't know if it's just a reaction from a few music freaks, or if it's a new wave of UK dance music. But with Donae'O making playlists like this one, I'd imagine it's about as 'Next Coming' as it gets.

Donae’O Spotify Playlist

https://t.co/Y2FOhYbTSP?amp=1

Last but not least I'd like to introduce you to a great DJ mix by Ikonika and Scratcha DVA. Ikonika's latest mix has some great Amapiano from start to finish. It's one of my favourite mix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdib1lQixaI

The mix and interview that Scratcha DVA gave to Resident Advisor is almost the answer for this article. Here's how they describe themselves in the introduction

This RA Podcast is a tribute of sorts to that South African sound, what Scratcha describes as the influence that dance music from that country has had on all kinds of UK dance music. You'll hear plenty of the heaving rhythms of gqom, and plenty of the UK funky-rooted stuff Scratcha makes under his many different aliases. With tracks from Ikonika, KG and Hagan, it's a snapshot of UK dance music as seen through the lens of South African pioneers like Citizen Boy and DJ Lag, a truly international sound put together under the one-of-a-kind vision of Scratcha DVA.

And to my surprise my track "audiot909 - Rasen (KΣITO Gqom Remix)" is used in this mix. I've been following the UK interpretation of South African music for a while now, and I never dreamed it would be included in a mix on this theme. Once again I would like to thank Scratcha DVA and KΣITO for their support. I don't think I could be more honoured.

https://jp.ra.co/podcast/779

I've put together my own playlist of the main tracks from UK Amapiano and Funkyama for those who are interested. I hope that this article will bring you the same surprise and excitement that I got when I discovered UK Amapiano.

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ESwSGND46xhdgS7QVyiDI?utm_source=embed_v2&go=1&play=1&nd=1

Apple Music

https://music.apple.com/jp/playlist/uk-amapiano-funkyama/pl.u-J97JTRWVjxW

Finally

Thank you for reading this far!

To introduce myself, I'm a Japanese Amapiano producer and DJ who goes by the name audiot909.

Some of you may find my language a bit confusing, it's a translation of my own words, I don't speak English very well and I don't live in the UK so I don't really have a good understanding of the culture and diaspora.

I hope you can understand these two points.

I just wanted to let people know about the endless possibilities of UK Amapiano and Funkyama, and the influence South Africa has had on UK dance music.

If there are any major mistakes, or if you want to give me any feedback, I've included Twitter and Instagram accounts so that you can contact me if you have any questions.

Twitter

https://twitter.com/lowtech808

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/audiot909/

audiot909 - ‘‘This is Japanese Amapiano’‘EP

Streaming

https://artist.landr.com/music/672985655744

Bandcamp

https://usikuvo.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-japanese-amapiano-ep

My Amapiano DJ Mix with Amazing Video Effect In Japan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDybg6mXz20&t=1885s

#amapiano #dance music #uk funky #south africa #uk #gqom #deep house #culture #bass music #music

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audiot909 · 12 years ago

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DRY&HEAVY PRESENTS 『IN TIME』 (06/15/2013)

Dry & Heavy主催のイベント、In Timeを見に行ってきました。

ゲストはマイティクラウン、こだま和文。

まずはのメインステージのサウンドシステムにビビりました。

通常のクラブエイジアのスピーカーに加え、

最高音響のサウンドシステム。

これが後ろに二つ。

低音で内臓揺れました普通に。キックで風圧が起きるし、ベースが地響きレベルで鳴ってるし。

そのくせベースとキックの分離がしっかりしてるし、うわものとか歌とかメチャクチャきれいに再生してるし、どうなってんのって感じです。

メインステージ一発目のＤＪ（レゲエでいうとこのセレクター）がTHE HEAVYMANNERSの１ｓｔに入ってるSly &HeavyのRebelをプレイしてましたが、鈍器みたいに再生されるベースときれいに響くリムショットとスネアのグルーブが半端なく気持ちよかったです。

そうこうしてる内に、２時ごろDry & Heavyがステージに登場。

一曲目はダミアンマーリーのWelcome To Jamrock。

Ｈｅａｖｙ氏、Ｄｒｙ氏、北村哲氏の３人で演奏でスタート。

相変わらず凄まじい演奏を聴かせてくれます。

その途中でこだま氏登場。トランペットの準備をしてる内に一曲目が終わり、二曲目から４人（+ダブミックス１人）での演奏。

こだま氏の音がとにかくきれいでびっくりした。

楽器の上手さを図る基準の一つとしてどれだけきれいな出音（でおと）が出せるかというのがあると思うのです。

最高音響がいい仕事したっていうのはもちろんですが、多分こだま氏、どのトランペット使おうが、どんなPAだろうが、このめちゃくちゃきれいな音を出せると思うんですね。

えーと、あまりうまく説明できそうにないので、一言で言うとこだま氏上手すぎﾜﾛﾀの一言で片付けておきます。

兎にも角にもこのDry & Heavy+こだま和文+最高音響って組み合わせヤバすぎる。

一つ一つの楽器の棲み分けがいいのでダブミックスもキマるキマる。

最近のドラヘビ定番のBlack UhuruのShine eye galとか挟みつつ、本編はWayne JarrettのBubble Upで締め。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krB4d_uxz74

アンコール一発目はまさかのTake Five！

ジャズスタンダードのあれです。

これが

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs

ドラヘビの演奏でレゲエに。

普通に4/4で演奏してました。

その次は

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgn466X7oCU

Mute BeatのStill Echo!

アンコールラストは、マイウェイでした。シナトラの、というかこれもスタンダートですね。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m0dJXtwwiY

本編はレゲエの名曲をプレイしてたので、アンコールの選曲はこだま氏主導かな。

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そういえばルーツレゲエメインのイベントに初めて行ったことに今気づきました。

あれだけの数のルーツレゲエ好きが集まるって中々ない。

ルーツレゲエ好きなら間違いなく楽しめるイベントだと思うので、今回いけなかった人はぜひ一度行くことをおすすめします。

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以前録音してたルーツレゲエのショートミックスを貼っておきます。

ぜひ聴いてください。

さっき紹介したWayne JarrettのBubble UpもBlack UhuruのShine Eye Galも入っております（便乗）。

そういえば上で書くの忘れてたけど１曲目のUpsettersのV/S Panta Rockもやってた気が…

こうしてみるとたまたまとは言え、9曲中3曲被るって中々すごい。

何はともあれ楽しんでくれたら嬉しいです。

01.Upsetters - V/S Panta Rock 02.Augustus Pablo - King David's Melody 03.Bob Marley & The Wailers - Burnin' And Lootin' 04.Black Uhuru - Shine Eye Gal 05.Creation Rebel - Rebel Vibration 06.Dry & Heavy - The Smoker's Cough 07.Max Romeo - Chase The Devil 08.Wayne Jarrett - Bubble Up 09.Sly & Robbie - Dub Glory

#dry & Heavy #reggae #roots reggae #こだま和文 #dub

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