“Not only are we making music, but we also plan to fuse two worlds and break records,” Josiah De Disciple says breaking down his new project, ‘Sounds Of Gomora Vol. 2: The Healers Avenue’. “We’ve got spiritual songs and then we’ve got Sgija.”
In the first half of ‘Sounds of Gomora Vol. 2: The Healers Avenue’, the renowned producer from Alexandra township blends Amapiano with Afro-soul through lush production and soulful vocals from the likes of Nobuhle, Bukeka Sam, Maline Aura and Kozzi SA. “The first four songs on the EP are mostly on that spiritual tip and that was done through production,” says Josiah in an interview with SlikourOnLife. “We are going through a difficult time, it’s like there’s a dark cloud over us and I feel like this is the right moment to actually speak to people. That’s the reason for song choices such as ‘Ebenezer’, ‘Ngeke’… you know.
On ’Ngeke’, Mazet SA sings about being guided by the ancestors; how, even if people can turn their backs on her, she’s okay because the ancestors remain her fortress. “‘Ngeke’ opens up another conversation,” Josiah says. “We just touch base on ancestors and all of that, but we never really dig deep inside and acknowledge the fact that they do carry us. So, it was deliberately adding that just to show people that I’m that type of person. I’m into that type of stuff.”
The second part of the project consists of instrumental songs with thumping basslines geared for groove. The whole package forms a body of work which Josiah defines as “a healing project”.
The project’s lead singles, ‘Amanga’ and ‘Vasco’ reflected this duality as they occupy the first and second parts of the project respectively. “It was to give people an idea of what’s to come,” Josiah says about the singles. “Just letting them know that we’ve got the best of both worlds. We’ve got the soul, the mellow, and we’ve got your vocals and we’ve got your instrumentals. It’s a full package, you can’t deny it. That was the whole idea like people are gonna be captured into this because we have the best of both worlds; groove and the spiritual part of it.”
Josiah De Disciples says he feels with the music that’s been out in the last few months, we have been partying too much. “We were in a party mood since boma November until February, it’s been groove all the way,” he says. “So, I felt that you know what, with so many bad things happening, we can’t be grooving, it’s like we are trying to forget about what’s really happening. We can’t look past it, it’s there, it’s happening and it’s happening to people that we never even expected it to happen to. Hence, I said that I feel it’s time we spoke to the people and the best way to do it is through music.”
With ‘Sounds of Gomora Vol. 2: The Healers Avenue’ out, Josiah De Disciple promises new music coming from his stable, De Disciple Tradings. “Tse tsao jaiva nyana after tse tsarona tsa mathata,” he says. Later in the year, he’s releasing the third installment go his ‘Spirits of Makoela’ album series. “I’m gonna be working hard on it, I’m just not really sure when to drop it cause I don’t wanna let this body of work go to waste also,” he says. “I wanna give it time to flourish and do its thing so maybe next year or towards the end of this year, I’ll start packaging my third ‘S.O.M’ album.”
Check out the listening session recap and stream ‘Sounds of Gomora Vol. 2: The Healers Avenue’ by Josiah De Disciple below:
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