IzangoMa (South Africa)

IzangoMa, are a 15-piece ensemble from Pretoria, South Africa, led by vocalist and guitarist Sibusile Xaba and DJ/producer Ash K. Their debut album was released by Brownswood in May 2023, the album in synth/keys lead exploration of Afro-Beat, Afro-Jazz, Afro-Funk, Future-Jazz and Psychedelia, expect high energy and percussive drum palettes, free echoing vocal chants, and lyrical layering of horns, music to dance our way against the disintegration and loneliness that modern life reproduces.

IzangoMa’s novel signature and performance brings a beautiful acoustic ecology that cannot be held by genre but reminds us that we are part of a miraculous pattern of the earth’s cycles and life forms through sound. With the predominant meaning being “healer”, Izangoma also, when pronounced or spoken out (when written like this) "izangoMa", translates to "come from mother".

“We want people to dance until any pain engraved in their being dissolves, we want people to groove until all forms of doubt disappears, to hit deep in their hearts until their heart is light as a feather. We want this sound to be a vehicle of love & light, only truth can birth love meaning; Truth is the Mother and Father to Love, love is the highest level of vibrating (existing). Without unconditional truth there can never be holistic love, without love there can never be peace & without peace there can never be healing of Nations and humanity as a whole.” - IzangoMa

In December 2022, the band released their first single; ‘City Lights’ showcasing the work of many hands, anchored by surrealist, improvisational sensibilities and playfulness. It begins as an incessant rapture where sound is this explosive light force response to the city’s concrete. It offers us a cathartic moment to return to our breathing, to tend to our roots, to bask in the sentimentality of living, In June 2023, the released the second single from the project “Tribute to Johnny Dyani”, which pays homage to the great master bassist Johnny Dyani for his enormous contributions to the music not forgetting his role in the emancipation of the people. An acknowledgment and gratitude to the critical role Artists play in our everyday lives, but also a reminded to Artists to never be on a high horse, never to think they are extra special or more important than the rest of society. Every role in life is equally important in having a better environment to all exist in.

IzangoMa’s debut live show was to close the Johannesburg edition of the JazzFest Berlin’s 2022 festival, which showcased some of South Africa’s finest jazz and avantgarde musicians, their spellbinding performance moved minds and hips at home in South Africa, and broadcast live into Berlin, Germany and across the globe.

Press

“A hard-spinning mix of soulful vocals, abstract synth melodies laid over thumping electro grooves, lushly orchestrated horns and vocals, and so, so , so much percussion: - Stereogum

“A truly remarkable pan-genre feast of unwieldy creativity” - Clash

“An exciting, experimental new collective” - Notion

“IzangoMa, from South Africa, pours everything it has learned from two hemispheres into ‘Ngo Ma’ - New York Times

It’s a trippy, ten minute electronic/acoustic fusion that pulls from afrobeat, dance music, jazz, and more - Brooklyn Vegan

“their fantastic debut single 'City Lights' has landed. The prominent aspect of the track is the nutty rhythm created by a plethora of percussion, drum machine, and snare drum. The conga drums are scattered like fallen leaves and consistent cowbells hit on unexpected beats. With rhythms that feel out of this realm” – The Most Radicalist

Online

https://www.instagram.com/izango_ma

https://www.facebook.com/iza_ngo_ma

https://twitter.com/SibusileXaba

https://izangoma.bandcamp.com/

https://izangoma.lnk.to/TributetoJDyaniFA

Contacts

Management

Jess White

Akum Agency

E: jess@akumagency.com

M: +27 64 128 2045