Saxman Nerwich drops 2016’s Afro house banger
PROLIFIC saxophonist Rus Nerwich has dropped the first single of his new album, The Whisperer, featuring Kanyi Mavi and Dutch MC Pete Philly. Following a successful European/Canadian tour, Nerwich now returns with Yilibaleni.
The work marks the musician’s first release since his SAMA-nominated album Under the Poetree, and is a cool slice of Afro-electronic dance beats taken from his forthcoming album The Whisperer. Written and produced by Nerwich and co-produced by Tupac and Jurassic Five collaborator, Erik Rico, Yilibaleni is destined to be one of this summer’s biggest dance hits.
Yilibaleni means “forget about it” and it explores some of the contradictions people living in ghetto’s and townships are faced with every day, “Alchohol is the cause of so much pain, and then, its the party juice,” says Kanyi. But in the end, “Forget about it, and dance! Yilibaleni.”
The track balances densely worded verses with an infectious chorus that hooks the ear. In the words of Mavi, “Music heals me, and I wanted to do the same. I would like people to enjoy the song and themselves when out there. Although we always know at the back of our minds that the world is bigger and a lot of serious things are also happening, go Yilibaleni!”
On The Whisperer, fans can look forward to seeing Nerwich in a prominent role as MC and vocalist this time round, completely stepping out of his comfort zone to fulfil his need to express his personal message.
“This album is the result of my willingness to forego prettiness and frills and express what I believe in. It’s all about the bigger value in delivering my message and the authenticity of that rather than being dictated to by what appears as aesthetically pleasing,” he explains.
Completely self-created and imagined, The Whisperer has been a three-year labour of love. Partly based on a book Nerwich has been writing, informed by his recent journey of love and loss. For this, he flew around the world, personally assembling an incredible roll of collaborators including Dutch MC Pete Philly.
As a storyteller, Nerwich’s compilation of tracks and use of instrumental interludes is bound to take listeners on an exciting journey that fuses his jazz, funk and hip-hop influences.
The result he hopes is “a satisfying contemporary urban electronic street sound that is both unique and full of musical depth.”
To date, the saxman has represented South African music in France, Argentina, Israel, Czech Republic and Canada. After releasing his first album, As Above, So Below, Nerwich followed up with Beyond the Walls, a monumental project which explored music originating in the ghettos of Nazi Germany.
In 2006 he also recorded Mantras4ModernMan, an eclectic fusion of world music and jazz, and followed this with Under the Poetree, a soul inspired electronic, hip hop project which earned him a SAMA nomination in the Best Urban Pop category.
Nerwich’s love for music education led him to open the Woodstock Academy of Music in Cape Town as well as the Sophiatown Academy of Music in Johannesburg. Nerwich is also currently working on a theatre production titled The Whisperer, as well as a follow up to his first children’s book, One Fine Day Love Came To Visit.
The Whisperer will be available digitally and on vinyl in February, 2017. - Staff writer
iTunes: smarturl.it/YilibaleniPreOrder