VA - Tales Of Tsotsi Beat - Urban South Africa

"Tales of Tsotsi Beat" is a solid compilation of modern urban South Africa. The music of the townships has long embraced American and European pop and dance/club styles. Over 14 cuts, the Sheer Sund label literally gets down to it.

There's the gritty hip-hop-meets-jazzy-house of the group Chiskop's club smash "Umunt'omnyama" with rapper in unison chanting over the steady jazzed-up rhythms and chords. There's the dubby/dancehall house of "For as Long as Ngisaphefumula (It's My House") by Kabelo, the spooky near drum'n'bass atmospheric of "Wolla Wolla" that gets wrapped in trance by M'Du and Ganyani, and the older straight-up disco-meets-pop track "Somlinda Gengoma" by Zola that is the most soulful and earthy thing here.

In all, this compilation paints a portrait, offers a look through the door of urban South African nightlife and its music. But it is only a glimpse, and this music goes so much deeper. That doesn't make this collection any less essential though; especially since some of these tunes will become (if they haven't already) classics.                

VA - Tales Of Tsotsi Beat - Urban South Africa
(256 kbps, cover art included)