In 2020, Weheartbeat initiated a project titled UNLEARN – a digital recording lab, supported by a Breathing Space grant. The project connected a selection of artists from South Africa and Switzerland in pairs for a series of virtual lab and remote working sessions to create music reflecting on their creative processes during the Covid lockdown.

The collaboration resulted in a 6-track EP featuring new music and videos by Miles Singleton (Switzerland); Maloon The Boom (Switzerland) & Nalu (South Africa); Melodiesinfonie (Switzerland) & Red Robyn (South Africa); Okvsho (Switzerland) & Nongoma (South Africa); and Sptmbr Yngstr. (South Africa). The project will be released on digital platforms via Weheartbeat in South Africa and Boyoom Connective in Switzerland as well as printed as a limited-edition vinyl showcasing the project.

Coming full circle, the project will be presented in a live environment at The UNLEARN EP Listening Party that will feature Okvsho, Miles Singleton, Red Robyn, Nalu and Sptmbr Yngstr at One Park in Cape Town on Sunday 28 May 2023.

Dovetailing with this, an exciting opportunity has arisen through the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) and Bushfire Festival in Eswatini. The two Swiss acts, Okvsho and Miles Singleton, have been invited to perform their independent material in a series of events, workshops and networking sessions taking place from 23-28 May 2023 in Johannesburg, Eswatini and Cape Town respectively.

BIOGRAPHIES

Okvsho is one of the most interesting and promising projects in the European modern jazz scene. The two brothers (Christoph & Georg Kiss) from Zurich, Switzerland who form Okvsho let their original musical background in beat-making and electronic music flow into the sounds of the young and vibrant European jazz scene and discover new grounds at the same time. Through playing with local jazz musicians their live-band project Okvsho +Experience emerged, which celebrates improvisation, spontaneity and jazz as dance music. The Okvsho-Brothers also play lively and diverse DJ-sets, in which they bring back the spirit of soul, funk, and jazz to the floor in a modern form.

Miles Singleton’s approach to sound-making is rooted in expansion—beyond genre, beyond boundaries, and beyond expectations. The Zurich-born and based multi-instrumentalist, singer, DJ, and producer has worked across a variety of collaborative and solo projects, all of which are united by his ability to meld disparate styles into expansive, widescreen soundscapes. Over the years, he has built a deep catalogue of work, collaborating with acclaimed producers and artists such as Danitsa, Sleepdealer, YoungstaCPT, Bluestaeb, Maloon TheBoom, North Naim and Melodiesinfonie, and has put out numerous projects both with these artists and under his own name. 

Melodiesinfonie is a producer from Switzerland, Zurich who began making music in 2011. Jazz is definitely the teacher, when it comes to Melodiesinfonie’s music but he is also influenced by Soul, Hip Hop and Electronica. He is a free spirit who creates his music unaffected by the boundaries of musical genres and business policies. Musicality, vision and spirituality are the cornerstones on which his music is created.

Maloon The Boom is an internationally celebrated Swiss producer who sees no boundaries when it comes to sharing his art. A production guru and Hip Hop lover, Maloon uses music to spread positive, thought-provoking messages.

Red Robyn excites the alternative music scene as a multi- instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer – currently based in Durban, South Africa. Red Robyn’s music engages a wide variety of contexts, styles and genre from her solo work that can be classified as indie-folk soul to her collaborations that range from house to alt-pop. She is an electric performer with a background in theatre and dance. Red Robyn has her BA Hons in Music from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal where she explored the boundaries of Christian contemporary music, and is currently pursuing her Masters degree. She performed her first festival as a solo act at Oppikoppi 2018. She has since released powerful solo works like ‘Dust and Iron’ which has been featured in the international Netflix series Blood and Water. She made her second festival appearance after winning Afropunk JHB Battle of the Bands 2018 and performed on the main stage in December 2018 alongside international acts such as Thundercat, The Internet and Flying Lotus. She has also shared the stage with the likes of Jeremy Loops, Ben Harper, Asa and Beatenberg at Zakifo Festival 2019. More recently she made her international debut giving a dynamic and memorable opening performance for UK band Jungle at Aviapark Music Day.

Nalu was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in a culturally-rich family who nurtured self-expression through art. She is a singer, song-writer and musician whose sound encompasses a collection of genres, from jazz to R’nB to acoustic soul and lofi. Through her instrumentation, mainly on guitar, piano and flute, Nalu creates a world that celebrates womanhood, self-love and spiritual wellness. Her lyrics spark conversation about femininity, social norms and the practice of love. Her work has led her to collaborate with world-renowned institutions and be featured on prestigious publications globally. At the heart of it all, Nalu wishes to tell stories that create a space for human connection. An artist truly in tune with the rhythm of who she is—ever-evolving. Inspired by many powerful, unapologetic women, Nalu follows suit in her music by using it to liberate and empower herself and her community.

Sptmbr Yngstr is a 21-year-old producer and DJ talent who’s drive has catapulted him to the forefront of the South African music scene. Originally from Johannesburg, now based in Cape Town, Sptmbr Yngstr has been producing music for just over four years. He has established himself as a colossal force at home and abroad with recognition from Red Bull, Soulection, and Complexion to name a few. Sptmbr Yngstr is currently working with artists such as Marcus Harvey, Espacio Dios, Lonny X, Da-P and Evil Needle. He makes and experiments with a number of different genres and styles.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

Weheartbeat has cultivated a steady following in South Africa’s music scene based on the power of their curatorial bookings. Weheartbeat has pioneered a new way of appreciating Africa’s own in the creative sphere, with many collaborative endeavours, shows, concept stores and fan-first style of promotion. Line-ups for their events are always considered, and they collaborate with both local and international partners who emulate their love for everything that is music.

Boyoom Connective is a record label, collective and movement of free spirited beat music makers based in Switzerland founded by Melodiesinfonie and Maloon the Boom . We Spread Love. With Music. Everyday. We provide a platform for Swiss beat makers, where music can be released via Digital/Vinyl/Tape and be played in live concert arrangements. Together we are linking up the Swiss beat music scene and putting a name and face to it, by which it can thrive internationally.