Shangaan Electro - New Wave Dance Music from South Africa

iTunes Review

Some words of warning: the homegrown beats on the Shangaan Electro compilation are a little fast. Blinding even. That’s a major part of its appeal, though — watching digitized drums, junk-shop synths, and wild marimbas, whiz by your head in a way that’s absurdly catchy and full of soul. Meanwhile, you’re also witnessing the birth of a scene that’s uniquely South African, as led by an engineer/producer/composer/label owner named Richard. The way he sees it, this music is made for dancers first. Which is why the beats-per-minute rate is kept at 180-183, a level that’ll liquify most limbs. “When you see them dance,” Richard (stage name: Nozinja) explains in the liner notes, “You feel like they have got no bones. It’s similar to the Zulus, but faster and we put a lot of style inside.” The style comes from snippets of soul, disco, R&B and early-‘80s electro, with a pop sensibility that’ll bring you to your feet in no time. At least until your legs literally give out.