To be a great DJ, is to not only be a curator of sound but a curator of emotions. It is an intimacy of one and their audience, with track selections as a catalyst for chemical reactions within the mind. An alchemy of sorts. A journey travelled whilst at the same spot.
To witness Kabza De Small perform, is to see a master at this part of art. A puppeteer with that ability to sway 5,000+ into motion, while leading every voice into song with a touch of the decks.
However, while Kabza De Small (and Kelvin Momo for slightly different reasons) was the story of the night, I feel it's only right that I start at the beginning...
This past weekend, First Capital Bank Sports Club in Harare played host to the long awaited second episode of Carpe Diem. A fresh new lineup of DJs promised an unforgettable music experience.
Curated by Ngoma Nehosho, the DJ festival still had house music as it's centre piece. The food stalls were plenty, the bales of hay ready on hand for a sit, and the sound didn't falter for even a moment. Almost everything you would want at a music festival was catered for, and the only thing left was for the acts to deliver.
Mimi set us off with deep house grooves that felt atmospheric, at the same time infectious. A measured tempo that was the perfect welcoming embrace for the arriving audience. One track was an extension of the next, with "Collection" by Soultouch Deeps & Exte, the Nutty Nys Remix of Lazarusman's "Here We Are," and V.Soul & QubiqueSmall's "Get Together" all making an appearance.
Sfiso took the stage next and gave us an hour long set that showcased an intimate acquaintance with amapiano. It felt soulful, yet captivating and gradually the bass lines got louder. By the end of it I knew another Bulawayo DJ had won my heart.
From amapiano the pendulum swung to Afro house as TAPIWA took to stage. Now as one who has seen TAPIWA (Mimi too) DJ more times than I've seen some close relatives this year I might be biased, but this was without a doubt the best of the bunch. The set was anchored by his remix of DBN Gogo, Tyler ICU & LeeMcKrazy's "Balimele" alongside Simbai, Ciza, Jazzworx & Thukuthela's "Isaka," and Kay P & Peekay Mzee's "The Century."
Ash-T continued in the same groove with a performance just as good. There was an Afro house remix of Kanda Bongoman's "Hinde Moni" that brought everyone to life, and when the beat drop arrived on Nitefreak & Roland Clark's "Masterclass," it was met with as much energy in the crowd as the synth laden song.
At this year's edition of Carpe Diem, MadeHerBelieve had the difficult task of being the odd one out. The palette cleanser wedged between two 4-hour long experiences of house music. However if crowd noise is to be the measure of a DJ's success, then he might've come out on top. We drifted from Travis Scott's "Fein," to Soul Jah Love's "Ndini Uya Uya," to Emmy Gee's "Rands and Nairas," to Usher & Chris Brown's "New Flame." It was genre-less but perfect for a crowd raised on Ezomgido.
Jay's arrival saw the return to theme of the day and spectacularly so. I can only describe his performance as emphatic. There was the Francis Mercier Remix of Miishu & Emmanuel Jal's "Yuma," KyroYmir's "Reconnect," the "Mercedes Song" by RudeBoyz and the Nitefreak Remix of RÜFÜS DU SOL's "Fire/Desire." However what truly brought it home (figuratively and literally) was an Afro house remix of Sylent Nqo's "Huya."
The 3-step house originator, Thakzin, came on next, with a percussive communication of drums. It initially felt subdued (after what Jay had done it couldn't be helped) but once things picked up his brilliance was undeniable. From the meditative to the uplifting, we crisscrossed his catalogue and the pinnacle moment was provided by his remix of DJ Kent's "Horns In The Sun."
Kelvin Momo was not yet available at his set time, so Kabza De Small took up the mantle and he did it with ease. In equal parts nostalgic and euphoric, Kabza's set was the best of the night. He made the crowd ebb and flow with him. In certain moments it felt like we were in an amapiano time capsule, powered by such songs as "Abalele," "Akulaleki," "Umshove," and "Asibe Happy." It was a journey through his rich discography and when his performance reached it's summation, it felt like it was over too soon.
90 minutes later than expected (after Jay took to decks again while we waited), Kelvin Momo finally took to the stage. To say Momo was bad feels like it would be harsh but his performance fell flat. The music was okay but it didn't match the emotions of his audience, and this brings me back to where this article began. After Kabza, Kelvin Momo's cameo felt like ending the night on low.
Carpe Diem had tried to be intentional with their curation, but that had ended up being sidelined. It was anticlimactic, and this cast a shadow on the brilliance of other performers. However this had been a great day for house music.
Greedysouth rating: 7.9/10
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