I don't know if I'm particularly a sentimentalist or everyone experiences those specific moments when you fall in love with a particular genre of music? When it all sort of makes sense in a split second? A moment of the ears and the mind just shouting out "Eureka!"
For rhumba, it was in 2001 when I heard Koffi Olomide's "Loi" (at least I like to think it was "Loi"), outside the bottle store at Nyahuni Shopping Centre in Gweru's Southdowns suburb, and I danced (zvidhakwa zvichikanda mari), which got me in trouble with my grandmother when I got home late. It was even worse trouble when she found out why I was late.
For hip hop, I can still remember the day in 2003 when my aunt (who was in high school at the time) asked me if I knew 50 Cent, and I said "Angithi nathi si independent, let's go 50\50?" She laughed hysterically, then went on to play 50's "In Da Club" for me and by the end of the day I was singing, "Go shawty, it's your birthday..."
For Afro house (not African house but Afro house as the distinct genre has emerged), it was at a "barn" in the middle of suburban Harare during AfroBeyond's 'Resolution Revolution' that the genre finally clicked for me, and I've been chasing that high ever since.
I'm glad to say that at the 5th edition of Samuel Cosmic's ROOTS I found it again.
Hosted at Emagumeni in Helensvale, ROOTS was a crescendo that kept rising until it's climax (lasting well into the witching hours) when Samuel Cosmic came on stage, followed afterwards by Nitefreak. We sang and danced on the astral plane, transported by synth and bass lines. 8 hours of house music and almost not a single song repeated.
The affair was kicked off by the debut of The Jaha Tribe, aficionados of deep house who curated a meditative set that still hit hard. The set's starring selections included FRANCIS JAMES' "Red Moon," Sidekick's "Deep Fear (Phobia Club Remix)," and Dangel Twins & Misha's "The Symphony."
TAPIWA had the bad luck of loadshedding striking while he graced the decks, yet the brief interruption before backup power kicked in was quickly shaken off. The bass lines began thumping louder and the tempo became faster. One of the peaks of his time on stage (before he returned as booth baddie for Samuel Cosmic) was a mashup of Enzo Ishall's "Kanjiva" with Frigid Armadillo & Sun-El Musician's "Sunshine."
Jay came up next and he was a curator of rhythm that maintained the same vibrancy throughout. The Afro tech laden hour had notable picks such as Dlala Thukzin, Funky Qla & MK Productions' collaboration "Umusa," the DJ Flaton Fox & Octávio Cabuata remix of Felo Le Tee's "Yebo Lapho," and Kususa & BlaQRhythm's "Umkhumbi Ka Noah."
Yet as much as these opening DJs were good, it was truly a coup when Bam Bam Madame came on because things went to another level. The duo had selections that were an uninterrupted flow from one to the next and it wasn't long before they were exulted with chants of "BAM BAM WE WANNA PARTY!" Deserved chants as this was best set I've seen from them yet. They ignited ROOTS with picks such aw Bun Xapa's "Yeke Yeke," Marasi & Eran Hersh's "Sweet Dreams," and Sun El & Msaki's "Ubomi Abumanga."
As Bam Bam finished, they handed the reigns to an equally adept Ash-T. A DJ who showcased he was intimately acquainted with 3-Step, and received exulting chants of his own. From Kotwane Hikwa at KAOS, to Slim-T at Haus Of Gumeni, and now Ash-T at ROOTS, it seems the year is teaching us to never doubt a house DJ from Bulawayo.
With Samuel Cosmic's arrival, the audience broke out in song with the DJ as the choir conductor. Across his 2 sets we were swayed into motion with the music swaying our emotions.
House was delivered in a sheen of pop, with Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" being mashed up with Aahil, Dylan-S & Cordoban's "Rattlesnake," alongside mixes of Sia's "Titanium," David Guetta & Akon's "Sexy Chick" and Rihanna's "Stay" that Shazam couldn't catch. Dlala Thukzin's "Sohlala Sisonke" hit the audience right in the soul, while Murphy Cubic & Pagez's "Tell Me" took a moment to seep in before making contact and Samuel Cosmic's collaboration with Steve Atambire "Mogre" was recognised with an instant eruption of noise right from the first note.
Nitefreak carried on what Samuel Cosmic had started, almost as good as an act of ventriloquism. Transitions were clean and effects were timed to perfection. The somber mood of "Not The Same" was met with euphoria, "Kamili" had everyone in motion, "Premier Gaou" proved to be timeless and "Masterclass" was like a long awaited coming home. Yet while all these had the loudest cheers, it was a remix of Kabza De Small's "Khusela" that felt especially surreal on the night. A crowning moment for another special night for Afro house in Harare. The kind that seem to only come once in a blue moon.
While still not mainstream, ROOTS was another showcase of Afro house's ever growing reach within Zimbabwe. So much so that the venues keep feeling smaller and smaller. In one moment at Emagumeni, it felt like we were pilchards packed into a can of Lucky Star. It might be time the genre took on bigger venues. Hinde at First Capital Bank Sports Club sounds it could be a good time in November.
Greedysouth rating: 8.4/10
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