John Wizards' Playlist of Favourite South African Music

Band-leader of Planet Mu's eclectic South African group John Wizards, John Withers, goes through some of his favourite tracks of current South African music on Hyponik's Youtube Sessions.

I particularly liked Webaba by Culoe de Song, featuring Busi Mhlongo. An unusual house track with stirring strings and whirling vocal loops that run along a tight click-clack beat. 

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Here's a terrific track by Busi Mhlongo:

I'm adding a couple of tracks that I love from outside of South Africa. First, a song with the kind of killer poly-rhythmic beat and uplifting chorus that Benin does so well, Gnonnou by Don Metok:

Secondly, a stripped down Senegalese folk song by Lewlewal de Podor:

John Wizards and Owiny Sigoma Band are playing today in London at the Camden Jazz Cafe. Both bands share a broad sound of global influences, mixing traditional folk, afro-beat and Western electronica. Owiny Sigoma Band, signed to Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings, are a London based band born from a music exchange between the UK and Kenya. The trip led to collaborations with Joseph Nyamungu and Charles Owoko, Nyatiti and Luo folk musicians, and a four track EP that found its way to Peterson.

Here's a Guardian piece on John Wizards, and a great mix from them on The Quietus.

For more African music, I would suggest SA magazine Mahala and Awesome Tapes From Africa