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 - and also featured on the Colour & Pitch November Mix, see below) 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

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions - November 2025

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 X China Charmeleon feat. Girly - Many Blessings (Stay True Sounds)

To say Stay True Sounds stay true to thier sounds might be a truism, but when you've got the talents of Charles Webster on board, you don't really need much more of a recommendation!

Stay True Sounds amazed us with the Webster & Muzi track 'Bakulindele (see review HERE) and they're back with some heavily percussive 'Webster' action.

If you can remember back to the Doctor Rockit's 'Café De Flore' with the Charles Webster's 'Latin Lovers Mix' or my introduction to Kahil El'Zabar (Chicago legend of percussion) with the remix of 'Running In The Streets' (Mix One & Mix Two, 2004), you've been a fan of Charles Webster as ever since as he seems to know just the touch to make great tracks greater and he's definitely got the feel for the ever growing South African house scene with both 'Free' and 'Many Blessings'.

Girly is from Delft Western Cape and 'Many Blessings' celebrates the musical heritage of Jo'burg and Cape Town (Ed. watch out for them penguins) whilst Atmos Blaq, originally form Dobsonville in the Soweto area, is another talent that's evolving out of the 3-step movement.

Already picked up be Colour & Pitch Sessions (see below), this is blessed!

As featured:

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Sumsuch - May 2025

Artist: Charles Webster X China Charmeleon feat. Girly 

Title:  Many Blessings

Release date: 30th May, 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

Review: Radic The Myth - Back To You (Freerange Records)

Radic The Myth may not be a legend at the moment but 'Back To You' has got that feel of being on the cusp as Freerange Records continues its love of promoting South African based deep house.

After all the excitement of Jimpster & Bishy's 'Come Down' last month on Freerange Records (see review HERE), it's 'Back To You' with an EP by Radic The Myth. 

After releasing tracks on the influential Stay True Sounds label and having 'Rainy' on Stay True Sounds Vol.4, Compiled By Kid Fonque, and 'Ubuntu (Unity)' selected for Vol. 5 (see review HERE), the 3 tracks on Back To You, being the title track, 'Phone Calls' and 'Summer Solstice' are even further from obvious 'Afro-house' and much more iin the Chicago corner of Jimpster's label. 

The stutter of 'Back To You' plus the echo/dub vibe makes this a grower, especially as there's a "warm sub bass" in the house.  'Phone Call' is loft spoken world Parrish/Moodymann tradition with the Chicago Loop train system in support.  , 

And for some, the most exciting element is Jimpster addding his synth/keyboard talents to 'Summer Solstice' with infusion of jazz that is one of his trademarks attributes.

This EP compliments his other tracks, especially the dancefloor favourite, 'Ubuntu (Unity)' or indeed long-time supporter, DJ Andy Garvey's favoutrite, 'Return Of The Zulu Gangsta' (check out Andy's Delectabeats show on Afrodisiac Radio HERE every Sunday) and if there is going to be a Freerange equilvalent of 'There Ain't No Album!' lets have it before the summer solstice; hopefully with dub versions too!

BUY LINK https://radicthemyth.bandcamp.com/album/back-to-you-ep

Artist:  Radic The Myth

Title: Back To You EP

Release date: 17th Janurary, 2025

Label : Freerange Records

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Various Artists - Stay True Sounds Vol.5 Compiled By Kid Fonque (Stay True Sounds)

It's increasingly hard to keep up with Kid Fonque but if you need just the one place to go, Stay True Sounds Vol.5 is the place  for 15 of the finest that have been selected here.

Chances are that you know the linch pins of the label of Kid Fonque / Jonny Miller so Vol. 5 is another opportunity to highlight the label’s creative agenda of finding and nurturing new talent, "a new generation" you might say. 

Tracks by Wapo Jije and SpheraQ stand out and there's a couple with vocal efx that I'm not too keen on but hey, when you get a dreamy track like 'Nothing' (TebzaLiquid featuring Cashboy) you can overlook that small gripe.

'1 Million Failed Attempts', 'Heart Of Spade' and 'Ubuntu (Unity)' are big tunes but there's nothing overtly South African sounding here; the warrior cries of 'My Mothers Wish' (Buddynice) is about as close as it gets along with Khulife's 'Another Problem' where there's crickets on the Serengeti but even then we're electronic/synth dominent. 

And don't forget the sub-label STY TRU BTS for more South African talent like EMAMKAY (see review HERE).

Whilst this compilation is released with the backing of Defected Records; but don't worry, this is not a Defected album, we're very much still same qualifty as normal that is, Stay True Sounds.

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Stay True Sounds Vol.5 Compiled By Kid Fonque

Release date: 24th March, 2023

Label : Stay True Sounds

Catalog Number : STS156 

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp