Review: Charles Webster And The South African Connection - From The Hill (Stay True Sounds)

I love this quote, "If you play his remix of ‘Cafe de Flore’ (by Dr Rockit) even now at any venue in South Africa, it will erupt,” notes Stay True Sounds founder Allan Nicoll (aka Kid Fonque) so you see why they are all on this Charles Webster x The South African Connection 'compilation' of 13 combinations with him leading the way.

 

Any release on Stay True Sounds that involves Charles Webster is guaranteed a winner like the collaboration with Muzi on 'Bakulindele' (see review HERE) or the one with China Charmeleon and Girly, 'Many Blessings' (see review HERE) so now we've got the whole album of Afro-centric dance with the 13 track album, I can confirm, 'Charles Webster And The South African Connection - From The Hill', is going to be massive!

And this 'workshop' approach is a winner from the start as the emphasis is on the new right from the start with the opening track, 'Flame' with Thabo Tonqick; bizarrley the pair bonded over chats about cats! (Ed. I blame the tik-tok/Internet).

The Atmos Blaq track 'Free' drops in a trumpet call sounding the retreat from a hill far away (possibly) which tracks into the two Daev Martian collabs, 'Up The Hill', 'From The Hill' and the relief of 'Karoo' desert 'Rain' with Emamkay (he of 'Sense' - see review HERE) and Bokang Ramatlapeng.

The radio playlisters with go for the other Daev Martian pairing with Sio ('Film Me' - one of two 3 minute tracks on the album) whilst there's plenty for the dancefloor with 'Qiniseka' (Slve Msolo & sakhe the Conquerer), 'A Journey' (El Payo and Girly Mbambani), 'Part Two' (WAPO Jije) and 'Sweto Sunrise' ('FKA MASH) plus the boom-chicka-boom of 'The Artist' (Bokani Dyer) and the previous singles.

A great album and mark my words (that I've borrowed), some time in the future they'll be saying, "If you play Charles Webster And The South African Connection' [insert track], even now, at any venue [anywhere], it will erupt"; you've been told!

BUY LINK / LIMITED VINYL (shipping 28.01.26) : https://charleswebster.bandcamp.com/album/from-the-hill

Artist: Charles Webster And The South African Connection 

Title: From The Hill 

Release date: 14th November, 2025

Label : Stay True Sounds

Catalog Number : STS

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Charles Webster & Muzi - Bakulindele (Stay True Sounds)

So what's the chances that we mention Charles Webster last week, and then a couple of days later, here he is with Muzi and a single from a forthcoming album, 'Bakulindele'.

 

As experienced as anyone in Afro-centric dance, this new track shows he's still at the top and the buzz for the forthcoming album 'Charles Webster And The South African Connection - From The Hill', is going to be massive.

In radio and extended versions, this with turn heads, but the 7 minute 'Extended' is a monster that starts on a major organ grind before Muzi's sweet gospel vocals joins in.

Ideal in some format for the next 'Stay True Sounds' compilation, see review of Vol. 5 HERE, as label head honcho Kid Fonque himself brought Charles to South Africa to record the album.   

This is like a 'companion' to Charles Petersohn's 'Children Of Zu Zu (see review HERE) so it's going to be fantastic to play these tracks out together.

Artist: Charles Webster & Muzi 

Title: Bakulindele

Release date: 14th March, 2025

Label : Stay True Sounds

Catalog Number : STS

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp