A New Spotlight on South African Dance Music
Splice, the renowned platform that empowers music creators, has unveiled ‘Splice Sessions: South Africa,’ a new initiative spotlighting the country’s vibrant dance music culture. This latest installment in the Splice Sessions series offers five meticulously crafted sample packs, spanning genres such as Afro House, Amapiano, Gqom, and Afro Tech, capturing the essence of South African sound and musical tradition.
Collaboration with Top South African Artists
Recorded at Jazzworx, one of Johannesburg’s premier recording studios, the collection brings together an impressive lineup of veteran and emerging South African musicians. Notable contributors include Kooldrink (Tyla, Aluna), Dr Feel (Defected), Afro Tech duo Kususa (Defected, Get Physical, Armada), and legendary guitarist Themba Mokoena (Sibongile Khumalo, Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka). Their collaboration amplifies the voices of South African artists and producers, offering a gateway into the soul, rhythm, and energy of the country’s musical landscape.
A Surge in Afro House Popularity
As part of the release, Splice has also introduced a new “Afro” genre within its ‘Create’ tool, allowing producers and songwriters to experiment with these uniquely South African sounds using Splice AI. The move comes at a time when Afro House is experiencing a surge in popularity, ranking as the third-fastest-growing genre among Splice users in Johannesburg, with a 200% increase in downloads. Afro House continues to draw global attention, cementing its place among the platform’s top ten most-searched-for genres.
Artist Reactions and Industry Excitement
Kususa, one of the contributing artists, expressed their enthusiasm for the project, saying,
“Partnering with Splice has been an amazing opportunity to elevate the authentic sounds of South Africa. We’re very excited to share our pack and hope that it inspires other producers.”
Similarly, Kooldrink, who curated the Amapiano Pop pack, noted,
“Amapiano has its own unique vibe, and I wanted to make it easy for producers everywhere to tap into. Can’t wait to share this with South Africa and the world—hope it inspires more artists to play around with the sound and push it even further!”
Splice’s SVP of Content, Kenny Ochoa, emphasized the significance of this release:
“We’re excited to bring these South African sounds to creators around the world. Genres like Afro House, Afro Tech, and Amapiano are shaping the future of music. The team had an incredible time working with these local musicians to capture the energy of South Africa and Johannesburg, and the result is electric.”
The ‘Splice Sessions: South Africa’ Collection
The ‘Splice Sessions: South Africa’ collection includes:
- Ngoma Afro House || Pack Creator: Dr Feel
- Amapiano Pop || Pack Creator: Kooldrink
- Ebusuku Gqom Sounds || Pack Creator: Hugo Tenza
- Afro House Yethu || Pack Creator: Frigid Armadillo
- Afrotech Kalahari || Pack Creator: TAU
A Celebration of South African Sounds
With this latest release, Splice continues its mission to elevate diverse global sounds and provide music creators with unparalleled access to authentic regional influences. ‘Splice Sessions: South Africa’ is available now, offering an immersive experience into the heartbeat of one of the world’s most exciting dance music scenes.
Link: https://splice.com/sounds/labels/splice-sessions
