SONICakaVerax

Digital Soul cannot guarantee the accuracy, reliabili ty and validity of any informat ion or content which appears in this digimag. Furthermore, reviews, art icles and features ref lect the authors? const itut ional r ight to f ree speech and are not intent on defamat ion. The owners, writers and users of this digimag are not liable or responsible for any loss or damage of whatsoever nature, howsoever arising, as a direct or indirect result of the informat ion, content or usage of this digimag. Anyone who feels that an art icle or press release is object ionable is encouraged to not ify the Editor immediately.

12 The Jack Rolling Dandy's

14 The Sell Outs

16 Soundlanguage

18 Mountain Thief

22 Ru De La Vega

26 Dead M3at

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9 34

44

CONTENTS

1 Editor 's Note

2 How to...

4 Miss Information

8 The Swingsetters

28 Austin Rose

9 BOXER

MONTHLY INTERVIEWS

FEATURESREVIEWS

OTTOMAN SLAP

41 The Pedestr ians

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6 RED ROOSTER ACADEMY24 Vaselinetjie

31 National Ar ts Festival

43 The Natives Compilation

44 P DYNO

PhotosBoxer - Henry EngelbrechtOttoman Slap - Hewitt WrightP Dyno - Nick JaggerCOVER - METAFOX

To advertise, kindly request our rate card via email - digitalsoulsa@gmail.com

Writing this note is almost sur real. When I decided to take on this venture, nothing could have prepared me for the countless YouTube tutor ials on Adobe CS, the complexities of domains, hosting and other IT related myster ies, or the ludicrous obsession I would develop with typography. But delays and deadlines apar t, we can finally exhale as we give you Digital Soul Magazine in the proverbial black on white.

On the cover we showcase Sonic aka Verax, a psychedelic trance / prog DJ from Cape Town. Our cover image shot by boundless photographer , Metafox.

We also feature Boxer , the indie band you should be listening to, have a quick look at the upcoming National Ar ts Festival, and the hypnagogic ar t by Andy Neuro, just to mention a few.

For digital content i.e. music videos, track downloads, ar tist websites and social media links, visit our web page.

To my Editor ial team ? Much Appreciation and Respect. We have gotten by on nothing more than happy thoughts and fairy dust for the past 6 months and counting, yet, they remain motivated - each only an IM and vir tual high-5 away.

I trust you will enjoy this, first issue of Digital Soul as much as we enjoyed wr iting it!

Marvin Char lesNews Writer & Contributor

Johnny on the Spot, endued with a keen eye for the X-factor , Debora Patta- like interviewing style and incredible wit. Follow him on twitter for updates @Marvinchar les17

Chantelle HattinghSub Editor & Rock Liaison

Back when cigarettes and petrol were affordable, when we walked 25km to school, barefoot, in the rain, uphill! It all star ted with Barney Simon's 'The Night

Cameron AndersonPsy Trance & I ndie

Correspondent

Writer hopelessly lost in an affluent genre preference, spanning from Psytrance to Zeppelin & claims the small town of George as home.

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HOW TO... COMPILE AN EFFECTIVE PRESS-KIT

Every ar tist, band or group represents its own brand, and must be sold as such to the public and to the music industry. Every brand needs to be packaged in a way that will effectively showcase its strengths and marketability. As a musician you need to understand the impor tance of your press kit - it is your brand, your image, it is you in a package and it is the key to landing gigs, needle time as well as recording deals from both major and indie labels. Your press kit needs to convey a clear and concise, yet enter taining message that you will br ing in top dollar . But just making a press kit isn?t enough. In an industry with such a low bar r ier of entry, anyone can make and submit a press kit, and they do; subsequently decreasing your chance of actually getting recognized by the recipient in question. Your objective is to submit a kit containing all the necessary elements and presenting it in a memorable, remarkable package.

There are two basic types of press kits: - Traditional, physical press kit - Electronic press kit (EPK)

While you may be tempted to just use one or the other , it is recommended that you always create a physical press kit. Not only are these more likely to be received by booking agents and reps from record labels, but they can be customized in a way that an EPK cannot, which is key to making a lasting impression. EPK?s are generally reserved for the media and helpful tool when promoting your music to bloggers and other publications.

Sherene Hustler Photography2

The Essentials

- Biography - An interesting back story is a very marketable thing. All the same though, keep it shor t and to the point - no one wants to read 5 pages of your musical history. If you have nothing special to say, get the bio over as quickly as possible.

- Demo ? Include a high quality recording, with accompanying lyr ics, of your most recent music, music that may be recognizable or has become a fan favour ite. You have, at the most, 30 seconds to make an impression.

- High resolution images ? low quality or resolution images don?t pr int well. Relevant tour or gig dates

- Past shows or gigs (when applicable) - Previous press reviews or interviews (when

applicable) - Contact information ? Ensure your contact

information is cor rect and that the designated representative of the band (even if this is a band member) can be reached via multiple channels

- ?RYI L? Recommend if you like - a listing of ar tists of similar styles or genres

- Website and social media links

The Competitive Advantage

Once you have all of these elements ready to go, there are some techniques that can and should be employed in order to make your press kit more appealing than all the others:

Take off the shr ink wrap from the CD: This may seem insignificant, but by removing the shr ink wrap, you are saving all of those looking at the press kit the headache of having to remove it themselves, keeping them in a good mindset as they listen to the first few seconds of your CD. Do you really think you will stand a chance if the person puts the disk into the player after struggling with the shr ink wrapping? No? you won?t.

Cover Letter : Just like with a resume, there should be a cover letter in your press kit. A cover letter is a formal and personal introduction to the band and the music.

NOTE: A poor ly wr itten cover letter can do more harm than not including one!

Put Your Contact Info On Anything and Everything: Just remember , your press kit will most likely be one of many in a pile. Just as school teachers give constant reminders to put your name on all of your work, make sure you put your contact info on everything you can. Pictures get separated, CDs get removed and displaced from their cases, cover letters get separated from the rest of the press kit, you get my dr ift? Put it on everything!

Proper Packaging

All of the contents of your press kit need to be put together into one clean and professional package, as it not only reflects how ser ious you are about the oppor tunity at hand, but it is a sign of respect to those receiving it. A manila folder is most likely the best option, but no matter what kind of folder you use, make sure you have the band name pr inted onto it, not drawn or wr itten, but pr inted. Again, professionalism is impor tant and will go a long way when trying to make a first impression. Also, make sure that everything stays nicely inside the folder - your press kit will be in a pile with others, if something impor tant from your press kit falls out, such as your demo CD, you can kiss that oppor tunity goodbye.

At this point you have everything you need for creating an effective press kit. Just keep in mind that you represent a brand, and an overall image, and you are attempting to convince a professional that your music is marketable and WILL be profitable if given the oppor tunity.

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HIPSTER HOGWASH

Why Hipst ers are not h ing m ore

t han sheep

OPINION

Words by Miss Information

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MISS INFORMATION

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After a laughable encounter in the Water front yesterday, I got thinking... Hipsters - what a bunch of hypocr itical, unor iginal, nar row-minded sheep! But before I go off on my rant, let's assess the definition of "hipster " as per Google -

"hipster1

h?pst?/nouninformalnoun: hipster; plural noun: hipstersa person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream. "

Did you read the definition? Let's all take a moment to read it again. Carefully. "follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream..."Really? Hipsters in their sheer repugnance rebel against social norms by paying way more

attention to them than anyone else, therefore they have tr ied so hard to be "different" and to oppose the mainstream, that they have become the mainstream! And they are simply too ar rogant to admit it. Although, therein lies our next debacle, to quote the Standard itself: ?as with psychos, if you admit to being a hipster , you?re not one.? Unlike its counter -culture predecessors, like the punks or goths, the hipster exists in a universe of utter denial. "I don't believe in labels". Yes you do. Yours is "hipster " But besides for the (fake) Bill Nye glasses, the mindless slang such as "deck", "totes", "awks", "cray cray" - are you fucking ser ious? - and, my favour ite - amazeballs; (Amazeballs? What is wrong with you people?) and the silent protest against the wear ing of socks, let's shoot straight and get to the point. In actuality, most of the culture boils down to judging. Judging items, activities, bands, companies, clothes, oneself and most impor tantly other people. If someone else is less savvy, cutting edge or knowledgeable than you, doesn't that mean you are a better person?

It saddens me as I scroll down my list of fr iends on facebook and I hardly recognise so many of them as their once beautiful faces are now hidden behind those goddamned glasses or a beard that you could take out for a beer . I see how my once, intelligent, or iginal, stylish fr iends all conform to a standard by which it isn't only acceptable but a requirement to be a complete dickhead, who doesn't even bother to use proper grammar and abbreviates words to the point of sounding like a 4 year old!

Far from shuffling off this mor tal coil, the hipster - or at least what is perceived as hipster culture - has permeated our cultural psyche. Like a zombie apocalypse slowly taking over the wor ld, the hipsters walk among us.

Photo by TMY Photography

Opposite page Charne Nel

A beautifully balanced blend of reggae, folk, jazz and the blues, sentimental and nostalgic - Red Rooster Academy. The type of music memor ies are made to.

Nic's husky voice

croaks over the slow groove set by the two soft guitars. Mature and rough, pained, distinct; possessing a Joe Cocker-esque depth and range. Armed with an Afr ican drum, he joins in and lifts the tempo to a typical reggae rhythm. The first few bars soothe me blissfully back into the summer of 2004

Natalie's clear , confident voice completes the track, effor tlessly harmonising in per fect synchronicity . The lyr ic resonating within my soul:

"...The future is tomorrow

The future is tomorrow

Live for today..."

The Roosters have mastered the daunting task of writ ing songs which appeal to a wide audience and carries their distinct f ingerprint. Leaving your soul with a yearning for sunsets on green grass with good friends at music festivals....

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

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"Write that name down... Two guys and a girl, two guitars and an African drum and they blew the whole place away. Totally original material..." John Robbie 702 Talk

Red Rooster Academy is the lecture you bunked at varsity in exchange for Moj ito Happy hour at Cool Runnings; or that pivotal moment you are transpor ted to whenever you hear tracks like Every you Every me (Placebo) or Children (Robert Miles).

Nicolas Lansdell (32) and Phil Keye (30) star ted a comedy band some years ago. Sean Darrol (34) joined the band, they changed genre and stumbled upon Natalie Baxter (23) in 2013, who spontaneously broke out in song dur ing a jam session at a fr iend's house. Without hesitation, they insisted that she joins the band and the very next day Natalie appeared with them on stage. The boys were booked for a gig in Botswana, Natalie joined them full time - the hen amongst the roosters. "I have been a shower singer all my life" Natalie laughs. However , unbeknownst to most, she got through to the final round before live appearances in Sweden's I dol. "... [ our] big plan is to record, it is very important to us... we have a few bits and bobs but it's very rough"

. Phil responds when asked about plans for the immediate future, dreams and day-jobs. "Everybody is asking for CDs" Sean smiled and Phil adds that they have the wor ld of contacts to make it happen but the band's nemesis at this stage is "? time. Time-time-time. Finding the time to record is..." his sentence fades and dies with a sigh.

These guys are the type that you'd like to take home to introduce to your parents: Phil - a child/teen life coach who runs Kids' Empowerment Workshops and manages outdoor adventure camps. Nic - a children?s cr icket coach and still finds the time to make and sell an instrument called a "hank". Natalie offers courses and cater ing services in vegetar ian, vegan and raw foods and Sean's focus is on a new board game which he has developed, called Max Money . "? it is basically a way of financially empowering our youth through a board game?, he explains.

MUST SEE

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The Swingsetters' power ful combination of jazz, funk and rock and roll and unique styles creates an effective sound that is sure to get you up and dancing. Formed in 2009 this group from different demographics and successful musical backgrounds br ings something different to the table, an electr ic solid sound which appeals to those who fancy the sounds of Stevie Wonder , Benny Goodman and the sounds of the Andrew Sisters.The group members include Chr is Haw who is the front man and lead vocals; his voice is effective and sexy. Jackie Kwenda is a vivacious vocalist, her voice is sharp yet power ful likethat of Aretha Franklyn. Dave Bryant is on drums and vocals, he is the anchor behind the group's strong sound. Tim Mosh played the piano at first, but after getting borded with the black and white keys he turned to the saxophone. Keyboard sensation Nathan Woodman also stars on vocals and harmonica. Mike Davison is the added half the exciting horn on the trumpet. Cameron Nyce is hot on the bass Last and by no means least Jess van der merwe a familiar face in the Cape Town music scene and her infectious laugh is well known too.

A few of their most notable gigs thusfare, are

- Mercury Live- Old Biscuit Mill- Pepper St Clubs- Council Chambers Cape Town Civic Center- Synergy as well as a tour to the Seychelles.

The Swing setters are known across south Afr ica as a group who will set a dance floor on fire, using the power of their unique interpretation of iconic music that still echoes through the cracks of the generational bar r ier .

words by Marvin Charles

SHORT

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Words by Cameron Anderson

THE

IND

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I caught up with the Joburg boys from Boxer dur ing one of their Thursday night jam sessions, and not once did they feel the urge to feed each other snack food as the music video for their first single; Exaggerator , suggested they would. In fact I found out that singer Ar i (dubbed ?The Sleeve? by his Borat enthusiast band mates) is a film student, guitar ist Jake is a promotions coordinator , drummer Justin is in location architecture and bassist Tyler works for a mining

company (although

?a professional douche-bag? by band mates). They live by a motto of Justin?s that they put work first so that they can continue to make music at night. Besides for Tyler who was voted by his fellow band mates as the hardest joller (and seemed quite surpr ised by this) Ar i descr ibes the rest of them as ?passive out goers.? Whether we can believe this or not, the jury is still out .In addition to playing alongside big acts such as; Shadowclub, Jeremy Loops and Shor tstraw at events like Park Acoustics and Smoking Dragon, Boxer took the he is descr ibed as

Sherene Hustler Photography

Sherene Hustler Photography

FEATURE

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Logo design by Jonny Smith

Philip Smit Photos

initiative to star t creating their own events like; ?Dank? at The Bohemian, usually on the third Fr iday of the month and is just R10 to get in. This evening is aimed to appeal to all the fans that need their indie fix, but have too much month at the end of their money. The evening also helps local bands meet each other and gather connections and exper ience.

Since star ting in 2014 Boxer are still new to the scene, but show no sign of intimidation with Ar i?s sweeping vocals combining with Jakes smooth lead guitar a technique so reminiscent of Jimi Hendr ix?s bluepr int. Although labelled as indie, Boxer go far beyond that to what they descr ibe as ?Box and Roll? a genre that is; ?Punchy and in your face.? They flaunt their talents and don?t hide behind any strangeness, as we so often see with new indie bands that try and incorporate the tr iangle into their latest track or the meowing of a cat.

?Exaggerator? is their first single which Jake descr ibes as ?fast paced and dancey? from the almost Rap like singing in the chorus that shows a little bit of a Chilli Peppers influence, or Arctic Monkeys even. The song is playful and matched by and equally boyish video of tom foolery that includes embarrassing dance moves and upside down wine dr inking. Boxer?s other song; ?Six Feet Underman? is a more ser ious song that combines a catchy opening r iff with a soar ing chorus that manages to stay in your head for a few days.

DS: What is the most memorable show you've had as a band, and why?

JRD: Our first show at Raggies in East London last year. The show set us up really well on our debut tour, but our bakkie was broken into the previous night and we had to rebuild our canopy that morning, drive from Grahamstown to East London to set up and do a double show with the Dandy's as well as The Sell Outs. That gig will always stay with us.

DS: What is the best moment in The Dandy's

career?

JRD: Playing on the 5FM rock show with Jon Savage was definitely a big moment. When I was younger I used to listen to the same rock show with Barney Simon and it was the highlight of my week. To play on that show was something special

.DS: Your top song, The Jack Rolling Dandy, was first on the Mk top 10 for two weeks before the station shut down. How did that push your music career?

Foot-stompin', head bangin' good ol? two piece band Jack Rolling Dandy's will be blowing your mind with their Jack Rolling Hard Rock. Currently tour ing all around South Afr ica, coming to rock out your town for some hip swayin', big bass rock and roll. Always hard, merciless yet stylish and never caught without their top-hats...

Words by Chantelle Hattingh

DS: How did you come up with the name Jack Rolling Dandy's?

JRD: The name is old I rish slang for guys who hang around outside bars and rob people who are too drunk to defend themselves. The look was incorporated from the 1840's style, shown in the movie Gangs Of New York, where the term was used. 'Your j ust a couple of Jack Rollin' Dandy's!'

DS: Why are you only a two piece band?

JRD: We started out as as j ust a solo recording project, but still recorded in a 4 piece format. So when we started performing we were a 4 piece, but

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JRD: I t was great getting the exposure that MK gave us. MK really do a lot for musicians in SA, especially the ones who work hard on their visual presentation and the brand image.

DS: What makes you stay in music business?

JRD: We love music and making music. I t's one of the most challenging industries in the world, so it'll keep challenging us ?till we're at the top.

DS: Being a Potch-based band, how has that influenced you as a band?

JRD: While we were based in Potch, most of the music we perform now and everything on our album has been written on the road. I think that your surroundings influence your music immensely and I think we'll always have a bit of Potch in our music.

DS: What are your musical influences?

JRD: I nfluences of ours that we reckon you can feel or hear in our music are Chevelle, The Raconteurs, Rage Against The Machine and Korn.

DS: What sets The Jack Rolling Dandy's apar t from other bands in the genre?

JRD: We have our own style of music, combining old school elements with massive, massive bass elements while staying truly Rock and Roll. We also combine band and brand, with an awesome 1840's look and a well developed hard work ethic.

DS: Can you give me one interesting fact about The Dandy's?

JRD: We do what a five piece band does, with only two members.

DS: What do you have waiting for us in the future?

JRD: We'll be on tour in SA for the next two years, so can expect us to come round to your town soon. We're also working on our new album and planning on recording again in June of 2016, until then we'll be releasing live audio and footage, gigging non-stop.

INTERVIEW

THE SELL-OUTS

On a more acoustic level, The Sell Outs are a sub-band or alter ego, if you wish, to the Jack Rolling Dandy's two piece phenomenon. With laid back tunes, they are sure to get the dr inking star ted.

DS: The sell Outs are completely different to the Dandy's style. Why did you star t the band? TSO: We started The Sell Outs as our second band because we realized that the music we were making with the box guitar and drum kit was so far removed from what The Dandy's are that it would be unfair to Dandy's fans to market the gigs as The Dandy's acoustic. The

Sell Outs give us the ability to play shows in any venue, on any night of the week, which also isn't always possible with a hard rock act.

DS: Do you collaborate with other ar tists? TSO: We have had Marnelle Niemandt from Vin Christine playing a couple of shows with The Sell Outs. We've started doing duets with her. That gives the shows a little something extra and it?s a lot of fun.

DS: What is your message for The Sell Outs? TSO: Have fun and enj oy life

INTERVIEW

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Words by Chantelle Hattingh

DS: The greatest Sell Out moment? TSO: We do a cover of a Tidal Waves song called Lekker Lekker Dans and when we played it at Mystic Boer Potchefstroom, we were asked to play it again as an encore and the whole bar was dancing and j iving.

DS: What has your greatest challenge been with this band? TSO: Knowing which songs to play to which crowds; reading a crowd is always challenging, but with each new song we write and learn, we have another weapon in our arsenal.

DS: What is the greatest struggle, being a two piece band? TSO: Having to carry the same amount of equipment that a 5 piece band needs.

DS: Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous? I can imagine it is hard with the tour to rehearse every day. TSO: We are in different towns and in different houses at least every week these days, practices are fit in when and where we can. When we need to work on specific songs we

make time and space to practice them, otherwise a quick run through in a sound check or playing the song a few times between setup and sound check will have to do.

DS: Tell us more about the recent tour . TSO: I t was amazing! I t was the first time either of us did something on this scale. We started in Potchefstroom, then going through Welkom, made our way to East London. From there we performed along the coast all the way to Cape Town. After two weeks there, we took the same route back and ended up back in East London for an amazing New Year?s show. Some other towns on our j ourney included Grahamstown, Knysna, George and Somerset West.

DS: Is there anyone you'd like to thank for offer ing financial or emotional suppor t? TSO: Our families have been incredibly supportive, also our close friends are a continuing source of encouragement and motivation and then the people at the venues who are helpful and friendly really make it so much easier for us.

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DS: Please descr ibe your sound as you would to someone who has no frame of reference of your music.

SL: SOUNDLANGUAGE is a combination of sound, ranging from deep melodic house to progressive techno, and language, a live vocal act casting a unique magnetism toward the audience, giving rise to a vibrantly animated dance floor.

DS: Was there a pivotal moment / epiphany when you realised that this is what you want to do?

SL: Hugo Gravito ?When I went to my first rave 1996 at the age of 16, I fell in love with electronic dance music and that is what I have been doing ever since.?

Ric Benigno ? I t was October 1997 Michael Jackson performed at Johannesburg's newly built athletics stadium and from when that space

ship launched through the floor I was hooked.?

Dom Benigno ?No pivotal moment. I t's all I 've ever wanted to do since as long as I can remember. So you could say birth?

DS: How old where you when you first star ted playing?

SL: -Hugo began mixing at 17, Dom began with a piano at 4 and Ric started playing around with a guitar at 10.

DS: Do you pre-plan your sets?

SL: We are in two minds about planning. On the one side it is hard to tell what kind off crowd you can expect so rather go with it and on the other side if we perfect the combination it is magical :)

DS: Have you ever been moved by a piece of music?

SL: REALLY????

DS: Your biggest gig played to date?

SL: There would be a fight between Synergy Live 2014 and CTEMF 2015. Two absolutely insanely incredible events with two magically inspirational crowds.

DS: Which ar tists have you been listening to lately?

SL: Michael Jackson, Agents Of Time, Max Cooper

DS: Do you have an "old faithful" track? You know, a crowd pleaser that you'll whip out whenever you're playing to a "tough crowd"?

SL: Max Cooper's Autumn Haze ( Coming To

I First met Dom Benigno and Hugo Gravito some twelve years ago. At the time they were known as "Bazooka Boy and Bob", apar t from other solo and collaborative acts with other musicians, DJs and ar tists. Along with Ric Benigno, Soundlanguage was born and it has developed and metamorphosed into a spectacular live act which consists of hypnotic vocals over a "melodic progressive style techno and live synth" and can be descr ibed as auditory ascendancy.

With Dom cur rently on tour in Europe and Ric and Hugo both working as freelance audio engineers, regular ly getting booked for gigs all the while maintaining a residency at ERA Nightclub in Cape Town, I was relieved to say the least when they agreed to do this interview.

SPEAKINGINTERVIEW

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

DS: Which well-known producer who you admire or draw inspiration from?SL: Nils Frahm the incredibly talented producer based in Berlin, has a lot of influence on us, as well as John Digweed and his English consistency and the of course Valentin Stip's French textureDS: Who, in your opinion, is the wor ld's greatest DJ of all time?SL: We j ust do not know, there are to many great DJ's. Why can't we all be the best?DS:Lets talk about the "scene". In your exper ience, how have things changed over time? Then and now, what is different?SL: The ?good old days? a phrase to remind us of the past but what is happening right now is incredible. The South African music scene has grown immensely and the electronic music scene has never been so good.DS: Has there ever been a moment that you thought: "This is what life was made for?"SL: Yes very often. At synergy we were heads down so into our set, only to look up and see a couple thousand heads moving, it was magical.DS: How did you switch from using hardware to software for making music ? and maybe back again? Has that changed the way you wr ite music?SL: We still use hardware.

I joined Char lie, commonly known as; Mountain Thief, at a quaint little coffee shop in Cape Town. I just managed to catch him at the end of his Cape Town tour before he made his way back to Pretor ia. We got talking about everything from music to the Loch Ness monster . For those of you that have never heard of Mountain Thief, his music is of the tame folkish kind. The kind you can

plug into your car on a long journey it?s the kind of music that makes your hangover a little more bearable. Char lie has this idea of creating music that is honest and true. He told me that not a day passes when he doesn?t have a pen and paper on him, just in case. Char lie is most definitely a music infatuate. For him it?s all about raw emotion, not bad bitches.

Words by Cameron Anderson

DS: What is your day job?

MT: I ?m a programmer. I t?s a lot of business stuff so it tends to get a bit boring. DS: Talk to me about yourself; Char les Kruger , and how did he become a convicted Mountain Thief?

MT: I ?m still on the loose. Well, I started out playing guitar about ten or so years ago and went through all the phases. All the rock and roll, grunge and heavy metal. So I went through the whole, let?s be in a band for a few years, probably about four years and um it wasn?t working out so I decided screw it, a lot of stuff needs to change. I went from heavy metal to folk music. I miss it sometimes, I do but uh it?s much more my thing right now. So for the last two to three years I ?ve been working on Mountain Thief, playing new songs and I ?ve been gigging for about a year or so. I t?s good I ?m in a really good space. DS: What about the whole one man band thing? Is there more

freedom? Do you get lonely?

MT: I do, I do haha. There are some shows where I do feel very lonely on stage, especially at some bigger venues. I ?ve had a band with me as well, which is really cool because it kind of boosts you, especially when you?ve got a really good rhythm section behind you. When it?s j ust me I do get a bit shy still. I t?s growing pains really. I t gets better when I have a shot of tequila though, let?s j ust be honest. DS: One shot?

MT: Two is fine, two is good. DS: What is the most played song on your phone/ipod?

MT: At the moment I ?m listening to Shakey Graves. I ?m listening to last year?s album, I think it?s called: when the war came. I ?ve j ust been j amming that way too many times? there?s one specific song called: Family in Genus, it?s got a bit of an electronic vibe to it, but it?s done really well, I don?t know, it just gets me.

Photos by

Adam Heyns Phtography

INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

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DS: Who are some of your influences, music wise?

MT: Obviously I have the whole clichéd thing of starting to play electric guitar because of that one Nirvana album. Everyone has that story so I ?m j ust going to add mine. From there I sort of went into more heavier stuff. A lot of the technical stuff comes from my prog side, I still have my Prog influences and stuff. I play that when I ?m at home alone, where no one can hear it yet. The folk music aspect is more like; Lumineers, Tallest man, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash type of thing.

DS: What songs do you sing in the shower?

MT: I sing a lot of White Lies in the shower because he?s got a very operatic type voice and a lot of their songs are j ust anthemy? I sing a lot of Tallest Man on Earth really badly in the shower as well. I ?m more of a thinker in the shower than a singer.

Q: Do you believe in the Loch-Ness monster?

A: I ?d like to, I ?d really like to go see it sometime. I wanna believe, I don?t want to be a sceptic. I think life?s too cool and full of shit to be a sceptic and ruin it for yourself.

DS: Alive or dead who would you like to sit down and have a beer with?

MT: I ?ve never thought about that actually ? I really wanna sit down with Curt Cobain, I ?m not gonna talk to him I j ust wanna sit next to the guy and have a beer, j ust be like: ?Yo man.? Maybe like John Lennon, j ust for like an afternoon, hang out. Even Hendrix, but I don?t wanna be cliché.

DS: Beatles or Stones?

MT: I almost wanna say Zepplin.

DS: What got you star ted on Folk? What conver ted you from your Heavy Metal days?

MT: I t was a very big mind set change to start off with. I was a very angry teenager? I j ust wanted to rock out, break shit, have long black hair, scream and be crazy. Then at a certain stage of my life things j ust got way too much. I had like a sort of tipping point where everything j ust got too much and I was like you know what; fuck it, I can?t live like this, I need to look at different aspects of life. A lot of my anger when into, not sadness per say but like a desire to be more raw and pure and honest. I j ust started listening to a lot more Folk, even

even Country and Blues. I t j ust got me into a better space mentally.

DS: Tell me about your love of hats, is it border ing an obsession?

MT: I do love hats. I ?ve got a couple that I left at home for this Cape Town tour because I was afraid they were going to blow away.

19

DS: Who do you think would win in a fight between Batman and Spiderman?

MT: I ?m a very big Spiderman fan. Batman is cool and he?s got money but I think Spiderman is cool? and obviously Spiderman has got Mary-Jane and she?s is j ust like the hottest character from comic books ever.

DS: Tell me about some of your favour ite gigs in Cape Town

MT: I really like Tagore?s because it was such a casual one. Even the layout of the place is very nice? it?s this little corner where you chill with your music stuff and whatever and people j ust wander around. I think that might have been my favourite so far. The thing is I really like a venue where it feels homey. I love having a carpet on stage for instance and I ?ve noticed this now. I ?m keen for carpets and hats. Pretty soon I ?ll be Aladdin.

DS: Coming from Pretor ia, what is your opinion on

the Cape Town music scene?

MT: I ?ve found that Joburg peeps are much more interested in getting their shit done and if there?s, music playing then that?s cool, whereas Cape Town people would rather j ust chill out and listen to the music and really appreciate it. I t?s flattering actually.

DS: How would you descr ibe your music to someone who has never heard it?

MT: My take on it has always been about experiencing and travelling and seeing places and meeting people. I t?s an accord of things happening in my life? I try to keep a broad perspective of things. I like to be an observer rather than in control of a situation? I want to be a fly on the wall and I think that?s what a lot of the music is about. I f you can imagine this tiny little character travelling the world and being at these amazing little views and vistas and things and j ust sitting in the corner with his guitar, writing about his travels

RU DE LA VEGA

The Prince of Deep House

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

INTERVIEW

22 Sherene Hustler Photography

If you lived in Joburg around 2003 and found yourself immersed within the House scene, I am confident that you would be familiar with (what was then known as) Barfly in Banbury Cross? If this r ings a bell, you may agree that Ru is somewhat of a veteran. Ru de la Vega has been through the motions, playing at four H2Os, and residencies both at ESP and Sugar under his belt. Over the past 16 years, Ru has established himself as a (deep-)household name. Having launched his online radio station, Static Phusion (staticphusion.com) at the end of June and welcoming his first born son into the wor ld, it would appear that the Universe is smiling upon Ru and his persistence and dedication is becoming apparent.

DS What can we expect to hear dur ing an average Ru de la Vega set?

RV I like to call my genre "Feel good music". I f it's good, it will be play, as long as it's not mainstream. But I do prefer Deep/ Tech House.

DS You also produce your own music, have you released any EPs or albums?

RV Yes, so far I have released 2 EPs and 2 singles with my record label "We Scream Records" (UK). The 2 singles are titled "Song for Jane" and "Welcome", and the 2 EPs are titled "Are We Responsible EP" and "Opposites EP".

DS Please descr ibe your sound to us?

RV Sexy and organic.

DS Do you pre-plan sets before gigs?

RV I never EVER pre-plan my set. I j ust listen and get to know my music very well, because preplanning a set at home and playing live at a club are 2 different things. I go with the feeling, the flow and the dance floor tells me what to play.

DS How has your style and track selection changed since you first star ted playing?

RV What I have improved on is my DJ technical ability and skill, and I try out new things with every set to keep people on their toes. Music selection, I can say it hasn't changed much from when I started playing,

music j ust keeps on evolving.

DS "Being able to beat match is all there is to being a good DJ." What are your thoughts on this statement?

RV Track selection, yes. Beat matching?!! Here is the first rule about being a DJ: You can teach a monkey how to beat-match but you can't teach it how to feel the music... But beat-matching on the other hand, is also important. Why?? Because not all DJs are good at it, or they wouldn't have designed a "SYNC" button.

DS Why? Why do you do it?

RV We, as the human race, have been put here to co-exist with each other. But no matter what our background, skin colour, language, culture, Music is our number one language. I like to think that my reasons for what I do are to unite and connect the world, and music is the way I know how

DS What are your feelings toward mash-ups?

RV Mash-Ups. My dead grandmother still makes those... True test is making something from scratch, hence I don't do mash ups, but I do have a music folder with acapellas, that I love to use when playing live

DS People are always talking about "the good old days" What was so good about them? In your exper ience, how has the scene changed over time?

RV My good old days, were rave days. The party scene was quite serious. Going out to buy outfits for big events was an event in itself, luminous colours, whistles and smiles everywhere. Not that the scene is worse now, because, j ust like music, the scene evolves as well. I t j ust seems people don't really make an effort these days

VASELINETJIETHE STORY OF A YOUNG GIRL BEING SENT TO AN ORPHANAGE IN POST-DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA IS ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY STORIES THAT TODAY SPEAKS TO THE HEART AND MIND.

Words by Marvin Charles

REVIEW

24

Words by Marvin Charles

The story of Helena Bosman nicknamed Vaselinetjie is a story South Afr ican?s will never get tired of. The book is based on Vaselinetjie, raised by an elder ly couple in the vast expanses of the Nor thern Cape.  When Vaselinetjie is ten years old, two officials from Welfare step in and she is sent away to a boarding school in Gauteng ? the orphanage where Madiba?s reject children have to live.Vaselinetjie speaks and looks different which makes her an outcast among the other children. In the children?s home Vaselinetjie is overwhelmed with the lives of children and adults with different backgrounds, values and cultures.  With all these influences around her she must struggle to find her own individuality. The framework of the fiction book is both hear tbreaking and uplifting. Patr icia De lille, Mayor of Cape Town attended the Launch of the play , and descr ibed it as a ?beautiful story?. She also stressed the impor tance of making provision for children as they are the future.

On Apr il 22nd to 25th the Vaselinetjie show was sold out completely at the Ar tscape Theater in Cape Town. ?It is very rare for a drama [to sell out]says Alfred Reitman, resident stage manager at the theatre. The show's director , actress and  producer , Shir ley Ellis star ted scr ipting the show last year mid-November when she meticulously concluded that the theme that stood out to her the most was Identity. ?It is a story about Identity we can all relate to it at some point - who am I, what is my purpose and how can I establish my identity?? Shir ley tells us.  Shir ley Ellis took out the time to meet with me dur ing the Launch of Vaselinetjie at the Ar tscape Theater . ?Visually getting everything ready and br inging a lighting concept to a play, that is  where we really work beyond space and time., Being able to move very quickly through time but not get stuck on stage? ? Shir ley responded when I asked her about the  challenges in directing the play.  ?...I designed the set around overcoming that obstacle and as a result we were able to  move in an out of years and space as seamlessly as possible.?Mar i Borstlap designed the lighting and of course her husband Wilken Calitz created a beautiful and fitting score for the play.Vaselinetjie addresses several sensitive issues such as gang activity, prostitution and sexual

misconduct, ?I stayed as truthful to the book that Anoeschka Von Meck wrote, because she had already dealt with it in an incredible way. You feel the pain from these exper iences yet you are safe within the storytelling genre. In the nar rative there is some swear ing but it remains scr ipt - something one should indulge in, however , i was very aware of the fact that i was working with young people, so as a director it  is my responsibility to find the balance and keep them safe.?

The Cast of Vaselinetjie includes well-known actors such as Andrea Streso, June Van Merch, Cedwyn Joel and Dawid Louw. Some learners who stood out at last 2014?s High School Drama Competition, were also cast in the play.I caught up with a few of the cast members, David Louw, Dutoit Alber tze, Nicola Van Der Westhuizen and Nicolette Van Schalkwyk before their last show on the 25th. I asked them how they feel about being involved in the young adult book that has been around for over ten years ?we feel pr ivileged to be par t of this production. I mean, this is such a big par t of South Afr ica?s children?s upbr inging keeping the characters we studied at school alive is quite a pr ivilege? Nicola Van Der Westhuizen says. Anoeschka Von Meck, author of the book Vaselinetjie, was published in 2004. Subsequently it has won var ious awards including the Jan Rabie Rappor t pr ize. Vaselinetjie also appeared on the 2006 IBBY Honor?s Roll. Anoeschka is a respected journalist and has a degree in Egyptology from Stellenbosch University, so i was cur ious as to what inspired this book. ?I worked in a children?s home in Rober tson as a Matron from 1995-1998. When I left and I had to say good bye,   this book gave me closure.   I was not going to see them anymore, so I wrote it for them? We all have those moments when we ask ourselves ?why am I here?? We all share those moments when we question ourselves and our identity, when we search for meaning in our lives. Whether we find it in the comfor t of our faith or elsewhere, often we search long and hard but one thing is cer tain - Vaselinetjie will always remind us to persevere and be strong through tough times, to keep calm and car ry on.

25

DEAD

DS What genre do you play?

DM The occasional prog set but more tuned into night-time fullon psy with a sexy twist of day-time fullons Bounciness

DS Have you released any EP's, albums or tracks?

DM I have release a hand full of tracks on Various compilations in the past? one or two tracks by my 1st real fast-pased alias, Dirty DiagnostiK with a track called ? Dirty Enough on VA-Convulsion (selected by Lock, Mastered by Acid Trooper) and another single called Fear & Loathing released on a Kaos Krew Records EP called VA-Pandora. I m currently working very hard in the studio & plan on releasing a DeadM3at EP, my latest/ current alias. This release is going to rock your socks off! J ! But a great selection of various artists are doing a few remix?s with me including a new goa based act which consists of myself & a longtime close friend of mine and

unbelievably talented Riaaz Cupido (aka Robotrix) and also a few remix?s with the one and only Militant (co-owner of Kaos Krew Records). More details on that soon enough, stay tuned

DS If you met a deaf person and they asked you to descr ibe your "sound", what would you say?

DM I t wouldn?t help talking to a deaf person, hahaha! I would, however, wear my biggest smile and hope he/ she could feel the answer instead and not require the need to explain anything. Psytrance music has a mysteriously beautiful way of lifting people up and showing them who they really are through vibrations.

DS Have you ever heard a piece of music that really moved you?

DM Yes, I think the first time I ever heard artists such as? Scorb, Concept, Prism, Outer Signal and a few other similar types of this type of fullon trance specifically, I felt overwhelmed with positivity. The music that ?moves? you is the music that your soul has been looking for all your life.

INTERVIEW

M3AT

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

DS What inspires you? What dr ives you?

DM For the love of music. Music can connect you in so many more ways than even most people can? I do it for the love my trance family.

DS Tell us about the best set you ever played?

DM I most enj oyed a set I played at yet another Kogelbaai adventure, same beach location as my biggest gig, but for another production all together. I played a Versus set along side on of my all-time best buddies, Tyrel Slabbert (aka UnSub). I think I speak for many dj s when I say, it was one of those sets where you feel you and your partner are one entity, moving between each other effortlessly and flawlessly.

DS Which ar tists have you been listening to lately?

DM Antispin, Prism, Concept, D-Maniac, and of course my own DeadM3at tracks.

DS Have you ever looked to the music to get through a tough time?

DM The last couple years have been very tough on me. I had to witness something that I believe no other person should experience and that is loosing my father. He sadly passed away earlier this year due to Cancer. This was one of the hardest things I ?ve ever experienced? but we tend to lock up and become negative over these periods and always seem to only find the negatives? This did something to me and changed me in a way that made me see things as ?glass-half-full?. I did also unknowingly end up playing keyboard for hours on end j ust after something negative would arise. I think everyone gets that feeling one time or another during their life, but I feel that these are j ust obstacles in the road to bigger and better things. I am a firm believer in Karma and her ways.

DS Who, in your opinion, is the wor ld's greatest DJ?

DM Lyle Jensen? (also known as Dj Archive & Co-owner of MMD Records) here in South Africa. This man persistently blows me out of the water when it comes to mixing skills and his knowledge on music is out of this world! To date, I have not personally witnessed anyone else with more passion and love for the music than he has.

DS Whats your take on ?the scene??

DM I started going to parties when Vortex was close to the Theewaterskloof dam. I t seems word spread fast about the secret society of trancers. I feel that many people still don?t get what these festivals are about. All you hear these days is drugs this and drugs that, almost as if someone were battling over who was going to kak first? I ts sad to see how many people have misconstrued the purpose of these gatherings and seem to forget about the whole reason we are there in the first place? the music! Thing is, we shouldn?t sit and stereotype every situation that comes our way in a bad way. BE THE CHANGE and change will come. A wise friend once told me: ?PULL YOURSELF TOWARDS YOURSELF!! DO I T! DO I T NOOOW!!!? and of course I almost wet myself laughing, but in turn, I learned something & I saw the meaning behind it. Times change, new situations arise all the time. Events may not feel the same from time to time? but change is not always bad. Sometimes the most overlooked things can be the most important and it reflects when you least expect it to. 27

AUSTIN ROSE

He has a look that would make every gir l swoon at his feet, his amazing smile that reflects his per fectly pear ly white teeth is just some of the potent qualities of Austin Rose 18. Austin Rose also known, as Austin Gr iffiths is a young boy with many talents. His states include singer , actor and per former . He star ted his singing career at the age of ten singing in a Sunday school choir . As the years rolled by, Austin?s singing career evolved and he was formally known on stage as ?Mr Smooth? but that changed after Austin became more mature ; ?I was chilling with a few ar tists one night we were discussing an event, then the topic about my stage name came up and just there and then we decided to change it to Austin Rose, because I would normally have a rose with me on stage?. Austin has shared stages with Idols winner Jody Williams and hear t boxing hit maker Jimmy Nevis. In June 2013 he released his single ?Now its our time? it was or iginally wr itten as a theme song for youth month.

Words by Marvin Charles

SHORT

28

South Afr ica was first introduced to Austin when the South Afr ican film, Four Corners was released. He played the suppor ting role of Tyrone, the younger brother of the leader of the Amer ican gangs, or formally known as the ?26s?. The movie won numerous awards. However Austin Rose?s music is his number one pr ior ity. He confesses that his music is ?unique and br ings something different to the industry?. ?My first time acting like that on a film was amazing! I discovered I love acting just as much as I love music. There was something that intr igued me about acting?. Austin?s next acting venture is a new film set to hit South Afr ican theaters next year the film is called ?Noem my skollie?. It?s a film based on a true story based on the life of John W Fredr icks; ?It?s a beautiful story and it is a pr ivilege to play a lead role."

But behind all the glitz and glamour , after the

cur tain call, when Austin puts down the microphone he admits he is just an ordinary teen; ?I?m a typical teenager , I like being alone. Most of the time I listen to music or wr ite lyr ics. I like to draw also. I am quite spontaneous I think. Like any other teen these days I?m just trying to find my place under the sun and make an even bigger success out of my career? Austin says.

Austin has some really great advice for teenagers who would like to persue a career in music; ?Follow your dreams as an ar tist and never forget where you come from or who your suppor t structure is, the industry is tough and its definitely not easy. If you are willing to go through hell for your ar t you are determined enough to survive and become successful against all odds. Someone once told me ?There is no need to compete against anyone in this industry, every individual has his/her own place under the sun."

29

ITCH?s sole intent is to get bodies moving on the dance floor . All tracks throughout this live tech house / techno set are simple enough to be remembered as well as played / controlled in a live fashion through Ableton Live. There are no fr ills or extras, each is centred around a prominent hook or groove with breaks that distract from the or iginal so it can be dropped and dropped again! To be released over a ser ies of EP?s called ?We aren?t interviewing for mates?

DS ? Please descr ibe your sound for those readers who may not be familiar with your music or genre. ITCH - Have you ever been to a club and felt that the DJ might be playing more for himself or peers than the dance floor, maybe he/ she has j ust forgotten that their are hundreds of people waiting to get down? I TCH is all about club music, made with oxygen less, dark, dingy dance floors in mind. I t could be classified as Techno and in many cases Tech House or even Prog, more importantly though it is about whatever it takes to get a small to medium dance floor to shake their asses. I t is not music that will change the electronicmusic landscape, I t is

not about exploring new sounds, textures or genres and it is certainly not art! I t is dance music as the good lord intended. Kick, Bass, Ooooompf!DS ? Where do you draw inspiration from? ITCH - Ideologically; from the the entire modern day electronic music scene, the project I guess you could say is ?anti? this. Musically; Boris Brej cha and the earlier content of Format B. Both for their, no frills, no fuss, j ust thumping music approach. DS - When did you realise that this is what you wanted to do?ITCH - Music Production wise, it became my hobby instantly from the first time I sat in front of Cubase. I TCH however is taken place after numerous depressing DJ sets while out on the town. Somehow clubbing has forgotten about

INTERVIEW

30

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

fartsy?, avant-garde nonsense... I n my opinion.

DS - What inspires you or gets you out of bed each morning to return to it?

ITCH - Making electronic music is undoubtedly my hobby. This project though is a somewhat sarcastic approach to ?be the change you want to be in the wor ld?. Club music is not about huge stages, laser shows, pimping ar twork, photo shoots, crowd sur fing and the like. It?s about thumping music in a dark room... or at least people dancing that is.

DS - Do you have groupies?

ITCH - I have the odd enthusiast or fan, although they are usually from my brief DJ career a few years back as the project is fairly new. I TCH though is not about fans or groupies, which is why the first album is titled, ?We Aren?t I nterviewing For Mates?. Somehow the modern day artist has completely side tracked the audience's attention from the original purpose of, let?s call it ?raving?. I f you are giving it stick to the tunes on some dance floor at 2am and on, that is all that matters to me.

DS ? Are you the only musician in your family?

ITCH - Yes, well maybe the only working ?musician?. My mom tinkers on the piano (far better than me). I was also lucky enough to have an older brother who opened my ears to electronic music at an early age and my dad stockpiles rock n roll and blues like it is about to be illegal.

DS - What would you say are the main differences between using hardware and software for making music? Have you had to switch from one to the other in your own productions?

ITCH - I started out on software, moving through most of the sequencers (I ncluding: Reason, Ableton, Logic) before coming back to Steinberg?s, Cubase. They each have their own applications and somewhat colour one?s sound in certain ways but it always comes down to how much you know and how well you know your software. Hardware, although has a much stronger sound is very limited to the overall tone of the machine. I have Roland 808. I t is without doubt an amazing machine and piece of electronic music history however unless you have a clear goal with what you want to make on it, it is

pretty limiting compared to software. I personally only use it for techno and hip hop. You can hear a tune from it here:

https:/ / pro.beatport.com/ track/ leyaton-thick-original-mix/ 3896418

DS - How many of the ar tists you have worked with are able to match live what they?ve done in the studio? Is this the norm?

ITCH - I think it should be first said that it is very difficult to sonically mimic one?s own studio work in the live environment. I think the guys who do it best work backwards. That is that it is made with live performance in mind and not j ust simply translated studio work into a live programme and played it out.

DS - What was the first musical exper ience that really touched you?

ITCH - Well the first concert I went to as a kid was Bon Jovi. I t really annoyed me that their songs weren?t exactly the same as on their album, no matter how much better or worse they were live. I now can?t get enough of finding the best performances of music I like by artist?s I like. I guess you could Jon Bon gave me reference to the possibilities and amazing results that can come about with a few rough edges, spontaneity and the right place and crowd.

DS ? Have you ever considered throwing in the towel, just giving up? What gave you the motivation to stay with it?

ITCH - Yes, always. Although I ?m not sure quitting my j ob and hobby is the best way forward.

DS- What are some of the biggest mental tools one can obtain to be successful in this field?

ITCH - A: Persistence. B: Open to criticism. C: Willingness to adapt. (See Step A again)

DS ? If you had to list one habit that could possibly ruin or stall a producer?s career , what would that downfall be?

ITCH - Thinking their style or sound is going to be big forever and thus never exploring other possibilities. Once people move, they are left behind with nothing more than the skills to produce out of date, unpopular music.

31

DS - What do you usually star t with when prepar ing for a live set?

ITCH - Besides all the pre production in studio which needs to take place, it comes down to organisation through rehearsal. There first time I gigged with my 808 I had to bring exam pad with j ust so I knew where everything I had made was.

DS - What made you decide to use your

cur rent DAW?

ITCH - Cubase is the bomb! I t?s greatest advantage (like Pro Tools) is that it is what is known as ?passive?. That is, it does not add ?colour? to your produced sound. With a few hours behind the controls you can start hearing songs that have come out of reason, fruity loops etc. Once again though, the better you know your software, the less of a concern this is.

32

GRAHAMSTOWN, THE HEART OF ART

2015July is an insightful time for ar t lovers who adore South Afr ica?s r ich local talent. South Afr ica takes immense pr ide in its ar t. It is home to some of the wor ld?s most iconic ar tists, singer , actors and actresses. July marks the National Ar ts Festival, a day elaborately engraved in our South Afr ican her itage.

The National Ar ts Festival takes place in Grahamstown the town associated with carnivals and festivals for over 180 years. Br itish immigrants established this traditionwhen the town served as a military base for the Br itish. The National Ar ts Festival is the largest ar ts and culture festival on the South Afr ican continent. In 2010 Grahamstown served as an accommodation point for all matches played in Por t Elizabeth. Over the years as the festival grew to approximately 50 venues scattered throughout Grahamstown.

This year?s ar t festival is a very significant, both for South Afr ica and the wor ld. In January 2015 two ter ror ists forced their way into the offices of French satir ical weekly newspaper Char lie Hebdo, they killed eleven people and injured eleven others. The ter ror ists identified themselves as belonging to the Islamist ter ror ist group Al-Qaeda. Since the attack the outcry for

freedom of expression has been r ife in the air . The National Ar ts Festival?s theme for 2015 is thus satire; ?since 2013 the Festival has thrown the spotlight on a featured ar tist. In 2012, the featured ar tist was playwr ight Mike Van Graan. In 2014, theater director Sylvaine Str ike. For 2015, we decided that instead of putting the spotlight on a single ar tist, we would shine the spotlight on the genre of satire. The ar t of satire is a dynamic way to both celebrate and challenge the limits of free expression? Ar tistic Director Ismail Mahomed said. Notably no censorship or ar tistic restr ictions has ever been inflicted on the works presented in the festival. The festival serves as a platform for political and protest theater dur ing the apar theid era. Several productions will be presented at the festival and will all feature satire.

Over the years the National Ar ts Festival has shown significant growth and since its incision, the oppor tunities and exper iences have grown. The National Ar ts Festival has also launched a new app that enables users of either a smar tphone or tablet to browse the National Ar ts Festival 2015 program, book tickets, review shows and follow the festival twitter and news feeds.

Words by Marvin Charles

Photo by Suzy Bernstein of Cargo Precious featuring Nosiphiwo Samente and Fana Tshabalala 33

OTTOMAN SLAPwords by

Marvin Charles

Cape Town based eclectic band Ottoman Slap is expected to grace Grahamstown with their middle-Eastern Balkan fusion. This very unique band, is famous for its mesmer izing Tr ibal fusion belly dance. Ottoman Slap is known for its very majestic per formances featur ing dance, traditional instruments from different par ts of the wor ld and their unique integration of dance and music which makes for an unforgettable exper ience. The band was formed around a shared passion for ?exotic music?. Their style and delivery is inspired by traditional Arabic, Gypsy and Balkan music. There is something in Middle Eastern Culture that they feel at home with and which feels like a natural stylistic form of expression to them. ?We are so excited about per forming at NAF. Half of us have never been and we are all ar t lovers. We are also excited about showcasing our music amongst theatre style productions, as we definitely have a theatr ical and visual ar t element to our music and shows. We feel this festival is a wonder ful platform for us.? Ottoman Slap says.

The formation of Ottoman star ted two years ago. Marr issa Cuenoud Van Minnen is the dance backbone of the band she adds a special feel to the show and showcases her belly dance per formances. Mar issa is the director of Soma Fusion Belly dance Company based in Cape Town. James Van Minne who plays the drums has played professionally since 2000 and has played in other media projects as well. James was already playing for Marr issa; ?We had a vision to combine dancing with more than just percussion, and rather create a whole band around the tradition of dance and music?. The band members are Raoul Spiegel, Doug Armstrong, Simone Chiara, Mar issa Cuenoud Van Minnen, Callan Wolff and James Van Minnen. The year 2015 marks a very successful year for Ottoman Slap. The band has just recorded and produced their debut album titled I diomatic and will be launching it dur ing their week of per formances at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. The album features six or iginal compositions and three adaptations of traditional numbers. ?We have had Grahamstown as a goal, so it was fitting that we created the album in conjunction with going there. We felt it was time to get these songs down and also to expand our audience to the rest of South Afr ica. It was recorded in James and Mar issa's attic at home, and then sent off to the legendary Simon "Fuzzy" Ratcliffe at Sound and Motion Studios for the mixing and master ing? Ottoman Slap says. Grahamstown can expect a mesmer izing per formance in all shapes and forms; ?We have woven a wonder ful story which threads through the set and includes dance, some storytelling, some other exciting visual exper iments and a few surpr ise instruments? Ottoman Slap added. Upon returning from Grahamstown they will be shooting a music video for their single ?Aquel? and they are also planning a Cape Town launch.

PREVIEW

34

Photos by Hewit Wright

COVER INTERVIEW / FEATURE

Photo by Organik, Alien Safari & The Village - Tribe 2014 Opposite - Julian Graham / Aumega Photography

When I first ar r ived in Cape Town at Summer 's end some five years' ago, dur ing my first visit to The Purple Turtle on Long Street for Mungus Fungus, I recall a DJ finishing his set and as he stepped out of the DJ box, USB Flash dr ive in each hand, he turned to me, and with a broad smile he said: "Have you heard? Sonic is apparently recording his own samples these days?" I half-smiled and slowly moved my head from side-to-side, (hopefully) suggesting "No, I haven't"? I admit, I had no idea who Sonic was, and no concept whatsoever of what a sample could be. Would recording his own be odd, r idiculous or an achievement? I suppose even today I couldn't answer that with full conviction. I managed to catch up with Sonic, and although I never got around to asking him about those rumored samples, we managed to explore several topics i.e. the evolution of equipment, heavy-metal and imagined an encounter with a rhino...

Sonic - the name that Stomping Records . Alien Safari, Afrogalactic Records, Rezonance NYE, Nano, Origin. Vortex Open Source, Vortex Parallel, Village, Groovy Troopers, Altered States, Organik, MMD, Jungala, Redeye, FuCha and One Foot Groove all have in common.

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

Photo by Metafox

DS: There are so many sub-genres of psychedelic trance being played, which is it that you play? SoNic: I have been into the ear lier Goa sounds from the late 90's and now with the new production sounds and styles that old Goa influence sound has had on producers wor ldwide. The old school flavour is now prevalent in the new day time full-on psytrance. I like to play the new wave of day time and night time full-on psytrance. I was one of the harder twilight DJ's around the late 2000's in SA but slowly moved into a groovier full-on sound.

DS: Let's say you and I j ust met, I have absolutely no idea and no frame of reference of what psy trance sounds like. I f you were to explain "your sound" to me, what would you say?

SoNiC:   There are many genres in the psytrance wor ld but what really gets me is the full-on and psychedelic trance as well as the Br itish night time twilight sound from ar tists like Trick Music. The SA twilight psy sound is good depending on the ar tist but as long as it is psychedelic, and not filled with the ?screechy?, ?stabby? sounds that have generally occupied the genre.

DS: Which event (world-wide) would you want to be the headliner at?

SoNiC: I have never been a headliner act besides a few smaller club gigs. The SA DJ is never put into that category down south of the summer

season, as the festivals' headliner is usually an international producer /DJ -unless the festival itself is purely a local line up. So the thought of being a headliner has never crossed my mind. In this ever expanding genre and when I am DJ-ing there are always such good DJ's and producers that happen to be on the line ups that is impossible to say.

DS: Can you remember the first musical experience that really touched you?

SoNic: I went to a few Alien Safari's and Vortex's back in the late ?90's. A few that stood out was the Flying Rhino -Vortex festivals as well as the Silverstroom and Rabbit Hole Alien Safari festivals. The one that stood out and really changed my perception was the collaboration of Alien Safari/ Vortex and Etnica for the Kruger Park 2002 Solar Eclipse and the Solar Eclipse in Zambia in 2001! Those made me fall in love with this par ticular genre of dance music.

DS:   How has playing psy trance changed for you over the years?

SoNic: When I star ted listening and DJ-ing this style, the music production of psytrance was in its infant stage but was showing rapid pace in the way it was being presented to the wor ld. In the mid 2000's the style was growing and the ar tists making this music were getting more and more recognised as each release made it to the ears of the wor ld. This has changed quite

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considerably as technology is moving at such a quick speed that music is made far quicker than in the ear lier years and the albums and EP's that are released are a far cry from the ear lier sounds that were coming out in the ear lier years. Technology has played an impor tant role in this aspect.

DS: Do you think that some of your harsher or darker or more melancholic sets reflect a darker/ paranoid part of you, or do they j ust result from momentary moods?

SoNic: Darker and harder styles of trance are just like heavy metal genres. Some are mainstream and some have a specific niche for specific people. Darker trance also has a faster tempo range 145bpm and up to 170bpm and even faster while heavily influenced with psychedelic sounds where mainstream has slow down tempo range of 138bpm and sounds often bor rowed from the club scene.

DS: As you?re getting into a phase of your career where you?re finding yourself among often much younger DJs: Do you sometimes feel it is important to pass some of your ideas and techniques to those who are curious about them?

SoNic: Yes the scene has evolved as quickly as technology and many tips for being in this industry is at ones finger tips through the internet. One just has to simply YouTube something and they have the information r ight at their disposal. My only tip I can pass on to upcoming DJ's and producers is to stay humble and be focused and you will get the exposure you need to be able to become successful

DS: Which relatively new musicians have you been listening to recently?

SoNic: I have been listening to loads of music from ar tists from Expo Records, 24/7 Records and Nexus Media and Tr ick Music. There is great music out there you just have to find it and then get it into the sound system for people to lose their minds to on a musical level and journey which is the dance floor . As the dance floor is where it matters most.

DS: What do you feel as you play music? SoNic: I feel a wave of excitement each time I step up to a DJ box to play to an audience. I suppose it is the same as a band would feel when they get onstage. The build up to the gig,

the hour or 2 that you are up there and the feeling of accomplishment once you have played the set then meeting the fans and dancers from the dance floor as each dance floor is different from the next.

DS: Have you ever thought, "This is what life was made for"? When?

SoNic: DJ's are a medium for the music coming out the sound system and even though I never knew that I would be one ear lier in my life, it sure has made me love it more when I see the smiles it creates on the dance floor each time I play. I am sure I speak for most DJ's when I say this.

DS: Have you ever been so moved by a song that you cried? I f so what was it?

SoNic: I have never cr ied to a track but have definitely felt goose bumps as it was played. That has happened in many different genres of music and not just in electronic as persè.

DS: Your favourite track of all-time?

SoNic: I have no favour ite track as each year one comes out that makes me go, damn that is one fine song. I guess how the ar tist puts that song together and the key in which they produced the track, would define where and how the song is going and what journey it has mapped out for the listener . As long as there are fresh sounds and some form of melody, the way it is ar ranged determines the potential that a great song or track it may possess. DS: You have been in some rock acts as well, haven't you? Which instrument do/ did you play in these bands and do you draw inspiration from that for your trance productions?

SoNic: I have played drums in many bands from the ear ly 90's till 2000. The bands were mainly on the harder side of music. I love heavy metal and its subgenres and was exposed to it in my ear lier years. It was a style of music that rebelled against the corporate system and that resonated with me in a big way. I got back into drumming 3 years ago and have been in 2 bands since then but in my exper ience the band scene in SA can be incredibly fickle and the underground scene itself needs a major boost - from radio play to promoters. The talent is there it just needs to be exposed on all levels within the enter tainment industry.

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DS: I want you to imagine that our conversation is suddenly interrupted when a rhino walks into the room. What do you say to/ share with/ ask of him?

SoNic: Really weird question, but here goes nothing. Rhino (Big animal lover that I am) get out the living room, find your home and take out a poacher while you are at it.

DS: Any advice or tips for ?noobs? in the industry?

SoNic: Get into it for the love of music and for all the real reasons - to make people smile and dance.

DS: Where did fans see you for the last of the outdoor season?

SoNic: I was DJing as SoNiC for the 21st celebrations of Vortex Parallel on the 3 -6th

Apr il for the four th day and then again at the Village "Wondering Dreams" festival.

DS: What can we look forward to from Sonic? Any upcoming releases? Anything big up your sleeve?

SoNic: There are cur rently talks of a possible European tour , at the moment it's still unconfirmed as negotiations are still being finalised. A VA compilation might be in the works with my label, One Foot Groove, later in the year so keep an ear to the ground and an eye on the social media platforms. I have also been focusing on my other progressive psy project, Verax, which has been creating waves here in CT for its second year . I plan to push that quite heavily. ,

Photo by ShaktiLedi Photography

CAPE TOWNS VERY OWN BOY BANDTHE PEDESTRIANS

Simon Van Har te, Rezah Sampson, Emillio Buckton, Bradley Pr ince and Jar red Ricketts A young, vibrant and fresh Cape Town based band. People tend to get mesmer ized by boy bands, how could they not? Who could forget the time we fell in love with the Backstreet boys or One Direction? Boy bands have a cer tain appeal that grasps attention and whisks gir ls away on a flight of fancy.

One par ticular boy band recently caught my attention, The Pedestr ians. They were selected as the Suidoorsterfees Talent Search?ss best band and won overall. The Pedestr ians was formulated when Jar rad Ricketts was asked to MC and per form at the Cape Town Summer Concer ts; ?I wanted to per form with a live band, with the help of Lee-Anne Ricketts and Jody Engelbrecht, we managed to find the Pedestrians? band members. It was a great exper ience? Jar rad Ricketts said. Jar rad has been involved in the music industry for over twelve years, per forming in var ious shows around Cape Town, Johannesburg and

Durban. He has also wr itten numerous songs of which two have been played on both television and radio. The Pedestr ians has become an overnight success and per formed at var ious events such as the Huisgenoot Mandela Day Race, Mountain Arts festival, The I nternational Kite Festival in Muizenburg and they have per formed on Hear t 104.9 FM?s DJ Launch. In May 2014 The Pedestr ians were asked to be a resident band at the Cape Town Comedy Club in the V &A water front; ?That was an amazing exper ience, we learned so much and grew together as a band. The residency allowed us to define our identity as a band and allowed us to meet and share the stage with some of South Afr ica?s best? they say. The Pedestr ians per formed every Sunday for six months at the Comedy Club ?It?s a lot of hard work, because we rehearse twice a week to make sure know what we doing on stage. It was awesome at the same time because it gave us a place where we could create, express and per form? they added.

Words by Marvin Charles

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Simon Van Har te is cur rently studying Chemical Engineer ing at UCT, Rezah Sampson and Bradley Pr ince study at the UCT School of music, Emillio Buckton is doing IT business analysis at CPUT, and Jar red Ricketts is an English teacher at an international school in Cape Town. The group acknowledges the challenges of balancing their studies and work with their music but they firmly believe that their studies come although they recognize the responsibility they have towards each other and their careers. These boys also admit that ?the biggest preparation is knowing the music collectively, and understand the language between band members on stage. That?s what people don?t notice or see the musical pauses, solos, timing etc.? The pedestr ians have gained enormous suppor t from the public, many locals have been following their journey, suppor ting them and cheer ing for them.

They also admit that they do feel pressur ized having the public watch everything they say and do ; ?But we work hard at being positive role models and examples to the youth out there, showing what is possible if you work hard? they say. The band would like to also still accomplish var ious other achievements through their music they would like to breach out of South Afr ica into Europe and work on an album and per form. I also wanted to know what advice they have for people that want to be in a band or want to star t a band ?Stop compar ing your band to other musicians, do what you are good at, focus on your strengths and work hard on your contr ibution to the band. If you are a singer , be the best singer out there, if you are a guitar ist, come up with your own style of playing, be the best version of yourself, that way your band stays fresh?.

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THE NATIVES

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ALBUM REVIEW

VOLUME 1THE NATIVES VOL 1 is a compilation of deep and/or (almost) funky house productions brought to you by Native Rootz, a recording lable founded by DJs/Producers Chad Naidoo & Eugiene Carr (Cape Funk Car tel).

The album is a compilation of 10 singles (not mixed) produced by 9 young Capetonian producers, all signed to Native Rootz Records.

The album has a deep, groovy theme overall, reminiscent of the "Deeper Sounds of..." franchise, with many ascer tainable samples. Some might wonder whether it is a compilation of or iginal productions or remixes.

The two titles by Coloured Black, named "Your light brings me closer to you" and "Eternal Summer", I found painful, to say the least, to listen to. "Eternal Summer" lacks a definitive bass line, or definitive anything for that matter , sounding disjointed yet mundane. "Your light brings me closer to you", is slightly more bearable. CB appears to "get it" and then just goes haywire again" - both exper imental projects in my opinion. Perhaps these are the result of an attempt at producing breakbeats or dubstep?

However , I can see the album making its way onto regular playlists in upmarket lounges and cocktail bars and ear ly evenings before the opening DJ set in clubs known to play deep-, jacking-, soulful house and the like. A good album to star t your evening with or wind it down.

As a whole, the album is well produced and makes for easy, pleasurable listening. Guarantied to get any foot tapping and head bouncing. Light, fluffy, sexy house.

The album is available and can be purchased via the following links -

nativerootzrecords.greedbag.com/buy/the-natives-vol-0/

http://www.traxsource.com/title/486439/the-natives-vol-1

alternatively, get the singles via beatpor t.

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

DESTROY YOUR NEXT OPPONENT

I caught up with PDyno. Hip-Hop extraordinaire from Cape Town who, apar t from youtube, has been spotted per forming all over the Mother city including Cape Town stadium for Winter Wonderland, as a guest ar tist and judge at an A3 Productions event and at several Cape Town clubs such as Dragon Room, The Loop, Chez Ntemba and in Stellenbosch at Entourage. Lyr icist to producers such as LorenzoBeats, D Beats, Keenan Lucian and signed to Volcanic Entertainment is ready to break into the Jozi scene where he has a few gigs lined up in the near future.

P DYNO

DS:   We hear you don?t always solely stick to Hip-Hop, is this true?

PDYNO: I do change it up sometimes by rapping to some country beat.

DS: Which ar tists do you admire and respect?

PDYNO: Drake and Chris Brown

DS: What can we look out for from PDyno?

PDYNO: My new music video ?Everything new?, is officially on youtube. I currently have five songs on my CD. Check that out

DS: Any quotes that you live by?

PDYNO: I f it?s not free it?s too expensive, j ust

kidding. Dyno is an acronym for destroy your next opponent.

.DS: Why can?t we find you on Soundcloud, Reverbnation or any other music sites?

PDYNO: I used to do soundcloud and reverb but not anymore. I 'm building a fan base on youtube so I ?ll be releasing a music video every month for 5 months... the first one I released got over 1000 views in 2 days.

DS: Where can one buy your CD? What is your CD called?

PDYNO: I released a mix tape like a year ago titled: "Too much Pride to Care" which I sold at

my gigs. Plus I had promoters in different areas in Cape Town selling it for me. I am busy with something new at the moment which will be sold online such as itunes. My manager told me recently that there is a distribution company in US that's interested in working with us .

DS: If you could change the wor ld - what would you change about it?

PDYNO: I f I could change the world I 'd probably try and make things equal for everybody by means of how we living. I really don't know...don't really have an answer to that.

DS: We heard you mention the "struggles of your hustle" - please elaborate on this? What obstacles have you overcome and which do you still face?

PDYNO: The difference from when I started and now. When I started I used to attend a lot

of competitions and open mics. I tried my best to show people who I am and what I 'm trying to do. And I gave lots of money to people who promised me things. But right now I 'm getting paid to be places.   I don't feel the need to do competitions anymore, Not ?coz I think I 'm a big SA hip-hop star but because I feel like I am already making an impact and an impression on my surroundings, and in time I ?ll expand. People in Cape Town know me now. I 've got people investing in me and I have a management team. I ?ve got a clothing line sponsoring me, club promoters promoting me. From an up-and-coming, which I still am, I changed people?s minds to start taking me seriously as an artist and keep an eye out. I 've earned respect and valuable supporters. Big thanks to my team as well. Young Stunners Over Everything (YSOE) and big thanks to my manager Nick Jagger and I can't forget my right hand who motivates me, pushes me and everything u can think of - .Mr. RedRyan

Words by Yolande Gypsychild

INTERVIEW

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