The 12th and latest mix in the popular AfroSynth series, Free At Last is another celebration of old skool South African cool. Selected by DJ Okapi and ripped from the original vinyls, it features 15 upbeat, largely unknown tracks covering a variety of genres - vintage bubblegum (The Survivals, Vumani, Banjo); smooth disco-funk (The Rockets, Neville Nash, Fire & Flame), early kwaito (MM Deluxe, E&S Brothers); synthesized versions of traditional Zulu (Fani S'Khosana), Shangaan (Tsokotsa) and Venda (V Kids) pop; slick Afro-pop (Caiphus Semenya), as well as innovative studio experiments (Hey Fever, Choice!). As with the previous mixes, these songs capture the pain and hardship that defined life in South Africa under apartheid, and more importantly the people's growing sense of optimism and hope for a better future.
1. 'Play The Music' - The Survivals (1989)
2. 'Mr Jekejeke' - Makwerhu (1987)
3. 'Makhanana' - Tsokotsa (1986)
4. 'Botswana in 1986' – The V Kids (1989)
5. 'The Sneezing Song' - Hey Fever! (1984)
6. 'Gimme a Break' - The Rockets (1986)
7. 'Be Free My People' - MM Deluxe (1990)
8. 'Bomba' - E&S Brothers (1987)
9. 'Midnight Train' - Vumani (1986)
10. 'iPansula' - Fani S'khosana (1984)
11. 'Whole Lot of Love' - Fire and Flame (1985)
12. 'Feel It' - Neville Nash (1986)
13. 'Free at Last (Ghetto Mix)' - Choice! (1990)
14. 'Ndi-kulindile' - Caiphus Semenya (1991)
15. 'No No No, No More' - Banjo (1985)
compiled by DJ Okapi
Johannesburg, December 2012
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LISTEN/download individual tracks from SoundCloud