Emapea
Strange seed

I stumbled across Strange Seed in a cozy coffee shop on a cold Saturday morning, fresh out of the gym and in need of something mellow. The jazzy keys drifted through the room like steam from my chai latte, warm, nostalgic, and oddly comforting. Then that bass guitar slid in near to the end, and WOW!..smooth and soulful, it sounded like the final puzzle piece falling into place, unexpectedly so... It felt cinematic to say the least, like a soundtrack for slowing down and sitting quietly with your thoughts. Just one of those unexpected music moments that stick with you I guess-its been a fav ever since!

Thievery Corporation
Lebanese Blonde

Lebanese Blonde by Thievery Corporation is one of those tracks I keep coming back to, especially when I’m driving somewhere with no real rush. There’s something about that hypnotic Middle Eastern vibe and those sultry, almost whispered vocals that just hits differently on the road. It’s smooth, seductive, and slightly mysterious, definitely the kind of song that turns a routine drive into a slow-motion movie scene.

BRS
Lovin Me (Dubtribe Sound System Remix)

Lovin Me (Dubtribe Sound System Remix) by BRS was the moment house music truly clicked for me. I’d heard house before, especially growing up in South Africa, where it’s part of the culture for us, but this track hit differently. The first time I heard it spinning on vinyl, I was completely floored…I stared at the DJ and turntables for a solid minute..I was starstruck... it wasn’t just music; it was a feeling, and I couldn’t describe it. There’s a rawness in the rhythm, like it’s intentionally imperfect, cracked and broken,but in all the right places, the vocals float in like a late-night confession. Intimate and full of longing. It’s not flashy or overproduced but rather felt. It was like the track knew exactly how to pull me in and keep me there. Since then, it’s become my go-to for solo drives, rainy mornings, or anytime I need to reconnect with that early spark that made me fall in love with house music in the first place.

KimEnglish
Been So Long (Wamdue Remix)

Being a 24-year-old South African woman - Been So Long (Wamdue Remix) by Kim English feels like the soundtrack to a time I just missed, but still deeply connect to. It takes me back to when DJs played house for the soul, not the hype. Back when street bashes were everything, vinyl was the only format, and the music made you feel something. Wamdue’s remix captures that raw, late ‘90s underground vibe, steady, unpolished, and deeply emotional. Then the Anita Baker sample on vocals comes in (one of my all-time favourite vocalists ever), and honestly, it’s over!... The way her vocals melt into the beat makes me want to sing at the top of my lungs and dance like I’m at a proper Sunday groove. This song is pure feeling -nostalgic, warm, and timeless. Just how house music should be.

Nutty Nys
Never

My latest find has me smiling like a kid- Nutty Nys dropped something fresh again, and I’ve been obsessed. He always knows how to flip old-school funk or soul into something warm, groovy, and so full of feeling. This one’s got that classic Nutty Nys magic,smooth layers, warm bass, crisp drums-and the vocals? Yoh, they just hit. That blend of male and female voices gives it such a beautiful, emotional feel.It’s the kind of track I’ll play while chilling at home or even on my way to the mall-it’s got that perfect, feel-good groove. It’s deep, soulful, and still so grounded. Proper storytelling through sound. Nutty Nys really did the things here.

Kentphonik
Hiya -Kiya (Rocco’s Deep Mix)

It wouldn’t be Shazz’s 6 Gems without a South African classic!..and this one? Man, it hits deep. Kentphonik’s “Hiya Kaya” is one of those timeless Soul Candi-era tracks that reminds me just how rooted I am in this music. Rocco’s remix gives it that groovy, soulful lift, the kind that makes your body move without even thinking but it’s Khensy’s vocals that pull everything together- raw, emotional, and delivered in her mother tongue. When she sings “Hiya Kaya” (come home), I feel it in my chest. It’s like house music is calling me back to myself, reminding me why this genre will always feel like home. It’s a song that makes me want to dance, cry, and just be proud to be SouthAfrican, to be a woman who truly gets house music.