Indie artist Tsukudu is one to watch

Johannesburg - There’s nothing like hearing one of your soon to be favourite musicians for the first time; someone who gets it – who has a generous respect for composition and who uses enough experimentation and a big spoonful of bravery.

When you hear this kind of sound, it feels like you’ve discovered something sublime – the kind of project you bump full volume, over and over, without getting bored.

(Photo: Lelo Macheke/City Press)

That’s what happened the first time I heard Tsukudu’s Melodiesonic. Skeptical about what to expect from a listening party in student-crowded, sometimes sleepy Grahamstown, and having chosen not to listen to the EP beforehand (a big deal for a girl who reads at least four reviews before settling on a place to have dinner), I had no idea what to expect. What I didn’t anticipate was one of the smoothest and most sophisticated and authentic local projects I’ve heard in a long time.

Blending the slow-burn chill wave approach of artists like Banks with beats reminiscent of Australian producer Akouo, Melodiesonic is a well-considered piece from beginning to end – the kind of project that would make for an epic Boiler Room or Kool Out set.

While this wasn’t Tsukudu’s first foray into the music world, with the previous EP (what he calls an “audiofilm”) entitled She released in 2016, this doesn’t even sound like a second or third piece of work. With the patience of a producer who puts the music before the pressure to release endless singles, and after deciding not to release a sequel to the first She project, Tsukudu has created a new listening experience that translates perfectly from sunny Sunday afternoon to late-night pre-game anthem.

Melodiesonic is charming and unselfconscious, mixing Tsukudu’s strong technical skills with some daring voice-overs, varied vocal offerings and just enough beat for his tracks to fall into the “bop” category.

Despite spending his time pursuing an academic future at Rhodes University, he puts in the hours at every spare moment.

In addition to the EP, Tsukudu dropped a single cheekily called Yodak Welloy, and he produced a mix as part of the Hype and TRNSD magazine Session X series.

Partnering drive with raw, unmistakable talent, Melodiesonic is a challenge to the mundane and the mediocre – and the kind of project that should make other local artists sit up and take notice.

• Melodiesonic is available on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud