#kwela

Shockwave – The Invaders The Invaders’ ‘Shockwave’ has the distinction of being the second local instrumental hit to make the Springbok Top 20 (the Boet van Wyk Orkes’ ‘Oliekolonie’ had been the first, unless you count Murray Campbell’s ‘Goodbye My Love’ which has a spoken interlude in what was otherwise an instrumental piece). It charted about 7 months after ‘Oliekolonie’ and would spend 5…

Millenia – Soweto String Quartet The Soweto String Quartet took the old kwela style which generally featured a pennywhistle and refined it by playing the traditionally pennywhistle sound with violins instead. This made for a new and interesting sound which is a mash-up of Africa and classical Europe.On ‘Millenia’ the effect is like watching a high-kicking Zulu dance being done in a palatial…