Hos Hos!
I love a bit of Tramaine me. Here is one of their stone cold classics run through the Afrotronical filters. It is a free download so grab it and play it everywhere.
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Last month the lovely people at DJMag wrote an article about me. Here is the unedited transcript for those who are interested.
The World Cup’s just been in South Africa how was it for you?
It’s the greatest sporting event in the world maybe even the universe, after that it’s the darts (BDO not PDC) and then the snooker.
Carnival atmosphere all over. I hope that the rest of the world now understands what South Africa and therefore Africa can achieve if given the chance to do things on its own terms and not to Western or First World ideals and pressure. I think that South Africa is majorly misrepresented and underestimated in the international press, let’s see if that changes.
Vuvuzelas – yes or no?
Big yes. They turn football matches into 90 minute Steve Reich drones. Something for everyone.
You’re from Wigan originally before moving to London. So what took you to Cape Town?
My girlfriend is South African and we met in London, I came over here with her originally as a four month trip. That was nearly three years ago. Suits me, I used to end every day cycling down the Old Kent Road dodging the 453 bendy bus. Now I go and sit on the beach or look at the mountain. Believe me, it makes a difference to your peace of mind.
There’s some great music coming out of SA at the moment – does it feel like there’s an identifiable scene as such?
House and Kwaito are massive over here and artists can do good numbers. It’s a major industry (in relative terms) not a scene as such. Kwaito is basically SA Hip-Hop. It’s mostly around 98-106 bpm, Hip Hop tempos but four to the floor with a swing on the hats. Like a slow chicago house vibe with geezers rapping over it in Zulu and slangy tsotsitaal (gangster/street slang). Over the past couple of years people have been talking how proper deep Kwaito is dying, those guys are moving more towards House tempos or just doing straight up Hip Hop but I’m not sure if could ever die, it’s pretty unique in its own way and the originals like Arthur are still blazing. SA House is pretty varied, there’s truly deep and rainforesty like Black Coffee and Culoe De Song, there’s party and pop like Cleo. There’s rough and street like DJ Call Me and DJ Adjuster and DJ Pacco. It’s all over the place. What’s the most interesting about House over here is how they’ve taken western House genres and fiddled the rhythm to give it a whole new flavour. There’s nothing funky about say Progressive or Euro House, if you ask me, but what they do with that kind of sound-palette and vibe mixed with roughneck african beats is inspiring. Believe me, DJ Mujava is the tip of a very big iceberg. People should also check Shangaan beats, like MaChonisi. Heavy.
What does ‘Ibhithi’ mean?
Ibhithi means ‘beat’ in isiXhosa. Repeat after me “Ee-beat-ee”.
What inspires you?
Living here, there would be no Jumping Back Slash without South Africa so I have my missus to thank for that. There really is something incredibly inspiring about this country and the continent in broader terms. Everything is big over here, big mountains, big rivers, big trees almost prehistoric. It’s the cradle of life and you feel it man when you’re here you really do. No Africa, no House end of. I also dig synths and analogue drum machines and my MPC. Also my dogs, Big up to my pet daschund bredren!
Where do you sample stuff from?
I have a lot of field recordings of various South African tribes, African percussion all kinds of stuff, maybe a few more illicit sources that I can’t go into. I’m sure you understand.
I like the description Afrotronic space music for your more Detroity stuff, but the album’s quite broad. What would you say your main influences are?
All over the place. I’m a 34-old ex-raver and I still think the stuff I listened to as a teenager beats most modern ish. If I have to name names I’d say in no particular order:
Jamal Moss, Robert Hood, Moodyman, Omar S, Theo Parrish, Carl Craig, Larry Levan, Steve Hurley, Underground Resistance, Anthony Shakir, Frankie Knuckles, Mr. Fingers, Trax Records stuff, old R&S records stuff, Gas, Studio One, Plastikman, Jeff (Techno Gollum) Mills, 808 State, Orbital, anything that came out on Suburban Bass in the 90s. Tons of stuff 90s Hip Hop, old Warp stuff, BBC Polyphonic Workshop stuff it goes on and on. In South African terms the big ones would be DJ Fhiso, DJ Sdoko, DJ Adjuster, DJ Pacco, Black Coffee and many more. I also think Oneohtrix Point Never is a genius and I want his synth sounds.
Why the name Jumping Back Slash?
I was just being a smart arse and I thought it was a clever pun. I never analysed it too much so I feel kind of irreverent about it which suits me. A name is a name.
Anything else you wanna tell us?
Firstly, don’t believe the hype about this country, it’s a truly beautiful place with truly beautiful people. Secondly, this season the Latics will come back stronger, believe it. I have faith in Martinez. This is the season we tonk Man U!
Woza!
Dankie San means “Cheers dude” in tsotsi taal.
Hello
I am Jumping Back Slash. I’m from the UK and now I live in South Africa. I make Afrotronical Space Music and it is released by Pollinate Records. I have an album out now called ‘Ibhithi’ available from all good digital stores and probably a few bad ones too.
Hos!
