Looking for a quick, to-the-point guide on what Afro House is? We’ve got you covered!
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Afro House, from its origins, its defining elements as well as some leading artists you can check out. Let’s explore!
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Table of contents
What is Afro House: the TL;DR
You’ve likely come to this article for one thing: to understand what Afro House is. So before diving into the nitty-gritty, here’s the topline info you need to remember.
Afro House is a subgenre of House music that blends African sounds and rhythms with modern House production and beats.
Afro House retains the tempo and 4-on-the-floor feel of classic House music. However, it integrates more complex percussion patterns, novel instruments, and sounds and vocals reminiscent of traditional African music.
The degree to which tracks incorporate African elements varies wildly. Let’s look at a few examples:
In this track, we’ve got a Kenyan vocalist, Sofiya Nzau, singing in the Kikuyu language. This language is spoken by an ethnic group from Central Kenya.
Another great example is Yamore:
This track is a mix of multiple languages including English, French (a language heavily present in Africa due to colonization), Cape Verdean (an island country in West Africa) and Bambara (the native language of Mali).
This track perfectly showcases the global blend that is Afro House.
On top of that, you’ve got traditional instruments such as:
- the Cavaquinho (a Portuguese 4-string guitar also found in Cape Verde);
- some African congas;
- and the accordion.
However, the track still features many of House’s defining elements, such as a punchy kick on every beat and deep sub-bass.
Want to learn the differences between every subgenre of House music? Check out our following guide:
- What is Melodic House?
- What is Pop House?
- What is Bass House?
- What is Progressive House?
- What is Deep House?
- What is Tech House?
Origins of Afro House
Afro House finds its roots in the diverse musical traditions of Africa.
As electronic music started to grow in the late 20th century, producers started to fuse these traditional sounds with House music.
As with most subgenres, there is no clear date marking the start of Afro House. Instead, producers increasingly integrated tribal drums, vocal chants, and regional instruments into classic House beats.
African rhythms have long been characterized by complex polyrhythms and call-and-response patterns. These elements laid the groundwork for the creation of Afro House. As house music originated in Chicago during the 1980s, it eventually made its way to Europe and beyond, where it began to intersect with African musical traditions.
Tracks and albums which showcase the early days of Afro House include:
- Zabalaza by Oskido;
- Black Coffee’s debut album “Black Coffee”;
- DJ Cleo’s debut album “Es’khaleni”.
Key Characteristics of Afro House
Now that we’ve laid the groundwork, let’s look in more detail at what makes Afro House such a unique genre.
Traditional African instruments
The defining characteristic of Afro House is the traditional instruments. If you’re looking to make your first Afro House track, try incorporating some of these elements.
Djembe
Originating from West Africa, the djembe is a small drum instrument played with bare hands.
Itβs known for its deep, resonant bass tones and sharp slaps. In Afro House, the djembe provides a driving motion, moving the track forward between sections.
Mbira
The mbira is also known as the thumb piano. It originates from Zimbabwe and consists of metal tines attached to a wooden board and produces a soft, melodic sound. It is more commonly called “kalimba” in the production world, and here’s what it sounds like:
Add reverb and delay to a kalimba, and you’ll get an other-worldly atmosphere in your tracks. Best of all, kalimbas work in pretty much any genre, from liquid Drum and Bass all the way to Deep House.
Balafon
The balafon is a type of xylophone originating from West Africa. It creates bright, vibrant tones that can lift a track and add a sense of joy:
Shekere
The shekere is a percussive instrument covered with beads. The sound is produced by shaking it and rattling the beads (or sometimes stones) against the surface. This produces a sound similar to a shaker:
A shekere is not immediately noticeable in a track. Producers often blend it in with multiple other layers, so that it adds to the groove instead of standing out.
Vocals
Beyond these instruments, the vocals are what make an Afro House stand out. This is not to say that every Afro House track needs to have vocals. However, vocals add cultural context to the track. They help convey the feeling of the song, as well as its origins.
Call-and-response patterns are often utilized. This is when two discting phrases are used in an almost conversational way. Here’s a great example:
In the intro of the track, you can hear the exchange between the call (the main vocal) and response (the group chant which starts with a low-pass filter). This type of vocal structure echoes the roots of African music.
Want to learn more about this technique? Head over to our YouTube channel:
In terms of language, producers often feature indigenous African languages. However, tracks can also sometimes be in English, or mix multiple languages. Vocalists collaborate directly on tracks, adding to the sense of diversity.
In other cases, producers might sample traditional songs and chants which are then processed with filters and formant shifting.
Some Artists You Can Check Out
Several artists have played a significant role in shaping the genre. Here’s where to start if you’re ready to explore.
Black Coffee
One of the most prominent figures in Afro House is Black Coffee, a South African DJ and producer. He is one of the genre’s biggest ambassadors and one of the first producers to successfully combine traditional African sounds with modern house beats.
Caiiro
Another key player is Caiiro, a producer also hailing from South Africa. Many of his tracks feature lyrics in various languages such as Zulu (one of South Africa’s native tongues).
Kasango
Kasango is a South African DJ and producer whose work has gained international recognition. He achieved mainstream success with tracks like “Osama”, a collaboration with Zakes Bantwini that became a massive hit in 2021.
Though a relatively recent addition to the Afro House scene, his sound echoes the foundational elements of the genreβrhythmic complexity, soulful vocals, and an organic connection to African traditions.
Wrap-Up
That’s it for this guide on Afro House! Hopefully, we were able to give you a taste for this exciting genre.
Do you want to learn how to make electronic music too, whether it be Afro House, Techno or Dubstep? Check out our free video training π
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