Producer at forefront of new genre
Who they?
Teno Afrika, aka Lutendo Raduvha, is a young DJ and producer from South Africa’s Gauteng Province. His intuitive and evolving take on amapiano, the exciting new genre of electronic music coming out of the country, puts him at the heart of a sound that is hugely popular both across the African continent and internationally. Teno Afrika’s 2020 debut album ‘Amapiano Selections’ was one of the first amapiano long-players to be pressed to vinyl. Two years on, he’s back with scorching follow-up, ‘Where You Are’.
Why Teno Afrika?
‘Amapiano Selections’ was an excellent introduction to South Africa’s musical history, presenting bright, jazz-inspired dance music that borrows from the country’s own Kwaito tradition as well as deep house and R&B. It was mostly an instrumental affair, but this time round Teno Afrika invites more vocalists into the fold. The silky-smooth title track features singer Leyla’s moody velvet harmonies, ‘Fall In Love’ enlists vocalist KayCee, and there are also vibrant collaborations with musical peers Don Diego and Stylo MusiQ, though Teno Afrika’s own darker, more dancefloor-driven cuts – like ‘Bells’ and ‘Gomora Groove’ – show that he’s just as proficient when flying solo.
Tell us more…
Hot on the heels of other compelling South African music movements like Gqom, Kwaito and Bacardi, it’s easy to hear why amapiano has taken hold. Raduvha spent much of his early life “moving between different townships on the outskirts of Johannesburg and Pretoria” and ‘Where You Are’ is the sound of a producer intrinsically intertwined with the area’s unique sonic palette. On the album closer, ‘Duma ICU’, he goes one step further, teaming up with Stylo MusiQ to craft a glassy, atmospheric style of amaipano that they’ve dubbed Skrr Gong. Talk about staying one step ahead of the crowd.
‘Where Are You’ is out on Awesome Tapes From Africa
