As previously reported, London’s intrepid Honest Jon’s label this month released Shangaan Electro, a compilation celebrating the high-octane, marimba-heavy shangaan dance music of South Africa, specifically the output of the Nozinja Music Productions studio.
The collection – lovingly compiled by Mark Ainley and Mark Ernestus (Rhythm & Sound, Hard Wax) – is hugely entertaining, and a fascinating insight into a musical phenomenon that has, up till now, been little-known outside of South Africa. There are a bunch of rapturous, winningly low-budget videos to accompany the songs knocking around on Vimeo and YouTube; our favourite, without question, is the one for Zinja Hlungwani’s ‘N’wagezani My Love’. Coming over like a guileless cross between the Howard-starring Halifax ads and Mujava’s classic ‘Township Funk’ promo, it’s guaranteed to have you grinning like a loon. And what a song – insanely catchy.