BeatLab is one of my favourite segments in the ezine because it takes me back to the crux of what I love to do, which is review music. I think that music journalists have a responsibility to break the disconnect between fans and the music. Sometimes the job is easy, and at other times it isn’t. In the case of Sastii’s new EP, the former is true. Let’s dive into the review.

The sound

For those who may not know, Sastii is a member of the rap collective that goes by the name “Qwellers”. The group is comprised of 10 different members, including Sastii. The group is known for their uptempo brand of hip-hop and most of the group follows suit when it comes to their solo efforts. However, Sastii has taken a surprising detour in his music. His latest EP, titled Just Me & Ma Supa Señorita, sees him enter a completely new sound.

As the title of the EP suggests, it’s about love, and he stays true to that sound in his execution on the EP. The song ‘Supa Señorita’, sees him introduce the downtempo style of production that is in stark contrast to what we have become accustomed to from Sastii. I love how the nature of the production allows his melodies and flows to take centre stage. ‘Esbukweni’ doubles down with it being a wedding anthem, reminiscent of the classic wedding songs of yesteryear, which is an impressive feat for any artist in the current generation. Similar to the intro track, the production of ‘Ebsukweni’ takes a back seat to Sastii’s vocals and writing. Finally, he closes off the EP with the song ‘Nobody’. The outro enters a more “jiggy” pocket of sound, but still not overpowering Sastii. The production is reminiscent of something AKA would sound amazing on, and that nostalgia sets the song apart.

Subject matter

In recent times, artists representing their cultural roots have become increasingly popular. That is, in part, due to the emergence of the Qwellers alongside household names like 25K and Loatinover Pounds. On the subject matter front, the song sticks to the typical themes of love. However, the magic comes in how he delivers the message rather than what message he is delivering. He has a way of constructing simple flows that are easy to follow, which makes you feel like you know the song because you end up singing along pretty quickly. Creating moments like that for the listener are trademarks of an excellent writer, which isn’t something we see too often in music on a general level. As an artist that we associate closely with rap, it is refreshing to hear Sastii explore his harmonising ability without trying to exceed his vocal extremities. This makes for the polished sound we hear on the EP.

X factor

So, what makes Sastii different, you may ask? Well, it’s all in his cadence. For those who may not know what cadence is, it is essentially how you say something. If you were to read a sentence in an angry or aggressive tone, it would be received differently from how one would receive a message with a delicate tone. In Zulu culture, there is a tendency to sing in a higher tone, which can be commonly heard in maskandi music. To hear a young artist package the maskandi-esque cadence with the secular music of today is a breath of fresh air.

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