I, for one, am inclined to agree with eminent novelist Toni Morrison when she says that art is dangerous at its core. The rebellion entrenched in diverse mediums of expression often births bold stances against the status quo and redefines the formulaic social convention that usually influences our approach to life. Philosophically, the execution of conceptual craftsmanship and messaging is significantly phenomenal to a narrative enthusiast such as me. However, to challenge the framework of conceptual motifs in and of themselves? I find that undoubtedly exhilarating and unprecedented. Crystallising the formless submergence of neo-soul, jazz, hip-hop, electronic and world music, avant-garde quartet, Seba Kaapstad, enriches their cosmic auditory museum with their latest album, 4ever.
Predicated by the eccentric “Morning Vibes” as the grand overture, Manana encrusts the Msaki-inspired “Fetch Your Life” generational mantra as the arching premise of 4ever. Through the left-footed dance between memory and imagination, the frequencies embedded in the peaks and valleys of Seba Kaapstad’s seance warp the fabric of reality, overtly submerging listeners to encounter oscillating nostalgia in the space of 51 minutes. Whether you rummage through the existential merriment of “Off Kilter”, the duel with dismissiveness of “What The Beep”, and the prudency behind purpose of “Complicated” or the concert with intimacy from “To the Moon”, 4ever establishes itself as a mothership of redefining connection, protesting the current climate of isolation and individuality.
Stream “To the moon here”:
It’s rather interesting how, despite today’s speed of light culture, which can age music quickly, 4ever, as an anthology of songs neatly crafted over the span of a few years, unravels as a calm yet urgent and futuristic yet present and reminiscent marker of an overstimulated generation. The rhythmic textures of production and curation are an extension of the groundwork laid in the cultural renaissance intuitively mapped in previous offerings, “Konke” and “Thina.” These chapters of the band’s evolving sonic terrain were a daring decision to world-build a free-spirited, poignant and universal communion of sound post their homage to the jazz culture of which they are stellar alumni. While their tranquil debut, Tagore, honours the mother of all music, band member Zoë Modiga once stated that Jazz can lend itself to being elitist, and the band’s overarching goal in the music experience is inclusivity.
Consider the flow of conscious drift one feels swirling between “Quiet,” “Wanje,” “Put Your Digits,” and “Meine Lieb.” The culmination of culture and the underlying resonance through which romantic, platonic and familial bonds can alchemise globally echoes the arguably clichéd adage of love being a universal language.
“Wanje”, synonymous with Luhya culture from Kenya, refers to “my” or “mine,” “Meine Lieb” is a German term for “my love” and the song also features the isiZulu and Swahili phrases “Ngiyakuthanda” and “Nakupenda”, respectively, both traversing through the soul of South and East Africa to profess “I love you.” As seasoned, multi-award-winning artists, Zoë Modiga, Manana and their collaborators open the portal for loved ones to affirm each other beyond the limitations of a singular spectrum of communication.
Watch “Meine Lieb” here:
Within the highly contested enclave of sonic calligraphy that characterises 4ever, the magnum opus of the word is entrenched in the poetic lyricism and harmonic nudity of “Time.” The anointed trade between Manana’s “It can change your mind and sometimes save a life” and Zoë Modiga’s “Time is quietly observing, while we wish weren’t quite here” evokes a calibre of seminal duet energy nurtured by classics like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston’s “When You Believe.”
The shared tenderness denoted between the synchronous clairvoyants indicates the cultural touchstone of awakening previously and burgeoning resurgence of counterculture akin to the golden age of Aquarius. “Time” ergo predicates itself as a significant marker of the emotive and spiritual unburdening flowing in the echo chamber of woeful existence.
Stream “Time” here:
The curtain call of 4ever hoists a temperamental sunset with lounge music’s warm, sanguine, triumphant, enchanting, and unwinding resolve. To simmer to the serenade of “Cheers to Myself,” “Smile,” “Magnetic,” and “Kwetu” wrapped in the optimism of quotes like “We can have our little own world here, no fear, no inhibitions, just our silhouettes in the city view” reiterates a profound ideology once shared by eccentric producer Pharell, “The more truth you bring into your body the less you constrict yourself.” This could be the album’s unspoken mandate, voiding how we are socially engineered to listen to music, to be cheeky, lighthearted, anguished, contemplative and vibrant all in the same Pandora’s box.
Let’s face it: We live in a time when we are spoiled for choice as listeners. We underestimate the importance of mindfulness in the attention economy, where one’s dwindling concentration span generates billions for dystopian tech companies. When was the last time you listened to an album before you saw a tweet about it highlighting its perceived intrinsic value? When was the last time your perspective of art was purely based on your own conviction and not the influence of another person (including myself as a writer)? Seba Kaapstad, in their state of being young, wild, and free, are the prophesied resistance against the machine, urging you to unplug and reconnect with the source.
Seba Kaapstad | Credit: Instagram
Ultimately, what thrusts this chapter of Seba’s Kaapstad’s quintessential legacy into the great beyond is the learning, discipline, care, intention, refinement of thought and continued crystallisation of the human condition. With a careful selection of collaborators, namely Terriona ‘Tank’ Ball, Moh 2, and Quelle Chris, Seba Kaapstad, the multi-national neo-soul group – comprised of a South African, a Swazi native, and two Germans – continues to serve their core purpose: to summon the most potent manifestation of creativity—music that represents an idea.
Beyond taking my word for it, treat yourself to an unfilmed, intimate encounter. May the 4th be with you through the lousy guilt trips of unwarranted smoke breaks.
Stream “Kwetu” here:
Stream/Download “4ever” here: https://linktr.ee/Seba_Kaapstad
