“Mololatladi“:
Following the March release of the highly acclaimed MYSTERY EP, BLK JKS’ anticipated full-length debut After Robots will be released September 8 on Secretly Canadian.
“Mololatladi“:
Following the March release of the highly acclaimed MYSTERY EP, BLK JKS’ anticipated full-length debut After Robots will be released September 8 on Secretly Canadian.
Johannesburg-based BLK JKS played a rawkin’ show last night at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. And from the looks of the lightly attended crowd, you guys didn’t know what you were missing. Their music is a wild concoction of transcendental African rhythms, Zulu soul and scorching rock and roll. And they like to jam. They are all completely self taught musicians and it was fascinating to watch them perform. I was struck by way they handled and played their instruments. It was definitely different. There was an air of reverence that translated into this feeling of the instruments playing them versus they playing the instruments. That or they worked some really good voodoo magic on me last night.
The band’s Mystery EP is out today on Secretly Canadian. If you’re heading to SXSW, you can check them out for yourself at one of the following shows:
Wednesday, March 18 11:00am
ME Television Studios (KEXP event)
Wednesday, March 18 10:00pm
Paradise Café (401 E. 6th St)
Thursday, March 19 2:00pm
The Parish (NPR event) (214 E. 6th St)
Thursday, March 19 10:30pm
Mohawk Patio (912 Red River St)
Listen to: “Lakeside”
Here’s another up and coming band worthy of your attention. South Africa’s BLK JKS announced a North American tour starting in Bloomington, IN where they will be recording their forthcoming LP.
BLK JKS came to the U.S. in the spring of 2008 after a chance meeting with über-producer Diplo while he was on tour in South Africa. The band’s appearance on the cover of the Fader, as well as sets at the Fader issue release party and South by Southwest, sparked recording sessions at New York’s famed Electric Lady studios that resulted in the MYSTERY EP, which will be re-released March 10.
03/02/09 Bloomington, IN – Cinemat w/ Tammar
03/03/09 Rock Island, IL – Rock Island Brewing Company
03/04/09 Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
03/06/09 Los Angeles, CA – Natural History Museum
03/09/09 San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Shop
03/13/09 Brooklyn, NY – Union Hall
03/14/09 New York, NY – Santo’s Partyhouse
03/18/09 Austin, TX – SXSW
Now through January 5, 2009, you can download a copy of BLK JKS Mystery EP on eMusic – for free!
Who are the BLK JKS, you say? Well, they are a South African psychedelic afro rock band that kind of has a TV on the Radio vibe. Discovered by Diplo while he was on tour in South Africa, they landed on the cover of Fader, received lots of media attention from the likes of the New York Times, Billboard and The Guardian and have been on the train to success since. They recorded their MYSTERY EP in New York’s famed Electric Lady studios and just signed with the label Secretly Canadian. Their EP is due out March 10, 2009. But why wait when you can get it for free now? Jump on it.
Listen to ‘Lakeview‘
Then check out the latest documentary from Digforfire.tv about the band.
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