A Guide to SA Indie Music

Like much that comes out of our beloved country, South African indie music isn't one particular thing. At best it's a collection of sounds that might (or might not) sound like anything from The Killers to Kings of Leon, and may (or may not) be signed to a label. At worst it's a bunch of young wannabees making bad music with tinny guitars. Guidance is necessary.

Instead of squashing bands into genres they don't necessarily fit into, here's a list of talented locals whose music will suit moments in your day and whose efforts will be worth a piece of your pay-cheque.

MONDAY MORNING EASE
Ashtray Electric – their slow, steamy tones and chatty guitar will ease you into the first hour of the working week. Because they're warm and cool at once, these boys are the next big thing in SA indie.
Also try: Joshua Grierson for easy emotional elegies.

LUNCH BREAK
Blk Jks – almost impossible to describe, their version of local art rock will break the tension (or tedium) of a productive work day and fill you with an energy that lasts.
Also try: Josie Field's sing-along strength.

LAZY FRIDAY AFTERNOONS
Mama Know Nothing – you've worked hard, and you're ready for some relaxation. Let the tetchy, twisty blues/folk fusion of the Mamas invigorate you for a weekend worth talking about on Monday morning. The vocalist alone is reason enough to stop working to listen, while that violin will make you dance your office socks off.
Also try: Dear Reader for their choice tunes that'll most definitely cheer you up.

TRAFFIC JAMMING
aKING – interminably sing-along-able, the kings of melodic rock ring out across the commercial music-scape without selling out to simplified lyrics. Deep meaning and light feelings, a very necessary combination for our developing nation.
Also try: The City Bowl Mizers because they are never rude about their mothers no matter how out of hand they get.

TUNE IN TO WORK OUT
Kidofdoom – looping and leaping, Kidofdoom's celestial strings and thumps more than make up for the lack of vocal narrative, and their constant joy is the perfect companion to a demanding workout.
Also try: Mr Cat & The Jackal for jolly jaunts and instrumental ingenuity.

ENROUTE TO THE PARTY
Captain Stu – fun loving and free spirited, their mix of madness and joy will get you in the mood to dance even if the G&T's didn't manage to.
Also try: The Dirty Skirts for clean-cut fun.

ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE PARTY
Foto Na Dans – edgy, swelling and melodic, their combination of earthy and eerie will shift your mood and open your mind. It suits night skies as much as it does sleepless sunrises.
Also try: Kwani Experience for a fusion of feel-good sounds.

DURING SEX
A tossup between Pretty Blue Guns and Taxi Violence – go for the Guns if you like smoky, slow sex that gets really hot and really deep; or try the Violence if you like it a bit faster, a bit louder and a bit more energetic. Either way it's bliss.
Also try: the Sleepers for moody, melodic intensity.

A MILE HIGH
Fokofpolisiekar – being stuck between Grumpy and Stinky in a tiny airplane seat is more bearable with the kings of stinky grumpiness, the famed Fokofpolisiekar. With intense vocals and an uplifting guitar, they are the voice of modern mayhem and the first name to drop when someone says SA indie rock. They'll make your flight seem funny in comparison.
Also try: Unit.R for energetic echoes and thumpy beats.

ON A ROAD TRIP
There is no definitive sound here. Try a combination of Dear Reader's superbly moving compositions and cheerful lead melodies; Andy Lund And The Mission Men's intelligent adult contemporary with a melancholy edge; Bed On Bricks for the long stretches when you need some groovy spice; Southpaw's easy urges; Jax Panic for short bursts of energy and; Yesterday's Pupil for miles of good beats and raw vocals.

Author: Jess Henson