Electro beats from Mozambique

The next edition of Night Under the Stars takes place Friday, 7 June, as part of the Owela Festival, and sees Mozambican artist Nandele Maguni offer a stellar performance of electro beats.

“I believe that I can do the unimaginable and communicate with the audience through my music for us to embark on a journey and converse with other planets in our solar system,” said Maguni.

Born in northern Mozambique and raised in the capital, Maputo, the young and vibrant producer combines Makonde rhythms with trap, dubstep and psychedelic hip-hop beats to produce a sensational sound.

With experience in performing at festivals across SADC and frequently collaborating with fellow musicians, Maguni is well-established as one of the most innovative beat makers and producers. He has written music for contemporary dance ensembles and films, and is a member of numerous band projects spearheaded for arts and culture development in southern Africa.

“I started in the 90s freestyling as a drummer to the sounds of hip-hop and rock groups, which developed over time and drove me towards developing my own style and identity as a producer,” he said.

Growing up as the son of a political figure and the first black director of Mozambique’s national radio, Maguni was exposed to the international sounds of Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti and Kanda Bongo Man, amongst the development of his country’s broadcasting industry. Maguni said this context inspired him to incorporate traditional sounds into his music.

“A recent visit to my village of origin in northern Mozambique had me embrace the style of Makonde and combine it with electronic sounds, African drum beats and Latin influences to create my debut album, ‘Likumbi’.”

The Owela Festival features events in Recklinghausen and Berlin in Germany, and in Windhoek under the theme ‘The Future of Work’. A group of artists from Namibia and Germany will convene to discuss the future of workers and labourers in Africa and reflect on practices of the past. Installations and performances vary depending on the venue as a way of achieving a site-specific intervention and sharing skills in the arts and culture industry.

The event starts at 20h00 and takes place at the Goethe-Institut Namibia, situated at 1-5 Fidel Castro Street. For more information, visit goethe.de/namibia.

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