TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA
HARARE – Queen of Hearts was the perfect rendezvous for house music lovers as they congregated in rhythmic unison, absorbing all the mesmerizing sounds that the music event Hinde had to offer on its Harare debut. Everything was as euphoric as it was transcendent, creating an electric atmosphere for AfroHouse and AfroTech excellence to shine in an unhindered manner.
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| Nitefreak mashing it up at HiNDE Harare [Image: Hinde media files] |
With an exciting lineup that featured Zimbabwe's brimming talent in the electronic music scene – Nitefreak, Ryan Synth, Samuel Cosmic, Jay, and Bam Bam Madame – everything was set for Saturday 9 November to be a magical night worth reliving. With each set that came on, one got the feeling that this was going to be a dance-heavy night; and for sure it was. (Hinde continued to Bulawayo the following day so I will restrict this article to Harare because that is the one I attended.)
Hinde Harare was characterized by a whirlwind of infectiously positive energy, as AfroHouse sounds in all their strands washed over us and elevated our dance music experience. All the DJs delivered their best, ensuring that listeners were kept in the moment with a vast array of immersive soundscapes. The way the DJs teed up each other during set transitions was marvellous, ensuring a flawless show (that was temporarily blighted by a glitch during Nitefreak's set but it was hastily resolved such that one could not even tell there had been a glitch).
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| The congregation of house music lovers at Hinde Harare. |
And such was the unmatched beauty of Hinde – making its debut in style and leaving us clamouring for more, unable to shake off the immense waves of exhilaration we had been exposed to. The impressive level of music knowledge exhibited at Hinde was a spectacle to behold – and this is what makes it one of the top events to look out for as far as electronic music is concerned. The type of event that keeps your Shazam in relentless overdrive. With each song that was played, the dopamine rush that one had to contend with was just massive – and you were left with no other option but to totally yield to the greatness of the oontz oontz vibe.
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| Bam Bam Madame |
The amazing duo of Bam Bam Madame auspiciously opened the show with their decent set, doing a perfect job to invite people to the dancefloor and setting the right mood to get the party kicking. Their set was a wonderful conflation of Afrohouse and tech, taking the first steps to what was going to be a thoroughly exciting musical journey of house music throughout the night. They closed their set with the track Tsona by MAXI MERAKI and Idd Aziz.
When Bam Bam Madame finished their set, Jay took over, and immediately set to proving his mettle as one of the brightest talents to look out for in the dance music scene. Jay's set drew many to the dancefloor, with the kinetic energy of listeners becoming more and more evident.
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| Jay |
He had many moments of peak euphoria during his set, and, again, proving that he is a name worth giving attention to. If you were not yet acquainted with Jay's name, then his set was for sure a solid statement of intent. He had a fine moment when he played Is This Love (Anane & Silyvi) and Mama Kosa (atsou, Da Capo and Emmanuel Jal) which got everyone on the same page, towards the realization that we were in the middle of having a truly good time.
Next up was Samuel Cosmic, who had the honour of taking over from Jay, and playing before Nitefreak's set. Now, if you ever doubt the unrivalled relevance of Afrohouse, Cosmic makes it his personal mission to quell such doubts. His set was a touch of masterful execution, with tune after tune floating into our ears. He has become a pro at what he does, and the immense passion he pours into his set – bearing witness to his impeccable music knowledge – is impossible to ignore.
His was a breathtaking set marked by organic, soulful and digital sound elements that could put your soul at ease. Particular moving moments came when he played One More Time (Daft Punk), Set Fire To The Rain (Fleu & Eternal Soul), and closed his set with Halele, the hit song he made with &friends. Samuel Cosmic knew how to properly bring the electronic groove to life.
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| Samuel Cosmic |
Then came the man of the show, Nitefreak. He showed beyond any reasonable doubt why he is the global star he is today, leaving no room for any shred of doubt. Opening his set with Ode Ireti (Nitefreak Rmix), he immediately got the crowd into a frenetic mode, showing the superiority of Afrohouse when it comes to the dancefloor. Although temporarily beset by a glitch – which was quickly resolved (and I saw Samuel Cosmic being of great help) – Nitefreak presented himself as the reason to fall in love with Afrohouse.
His was a convincing set, marked with hit after hit, bringing a phenomenal touch to Harare's dance music scene. The crowd absolutely loved him, and he did his best to deliver an Afrohouse set rightly imbued with the correct doses of soulfulness and emotional intensity. He conveyed an unstoppable surge of bliss and elation. When he played Premier Gaou (Nitefreak Remix), Not The Same, Kamili, and Gorah, the vibe was thoroughly ecstatic. If one was ever in doubt about the glorious transcendence of Afrohouse, then Nitefreak's set may have convinced them otherwise (everyone should experience a Nitefreak set once in their lifetimes).
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| Nitefreak and Samuel Cosmic |
Ryan Synth took over the decks after Nitefreak had played, closing what was a monumental event; and he delivered a hugely capable set that presents him as one of the finest DJs Zimbabwe is blessed to have. He managed to maintain the energy that had been set by Nitefreak, keeping listeners on their feet right to the very end. And to his credit, Ryan Synth has everything in him to grace international decks and deliver the very best that Afrohouse and Afrotech have in store. A moving moment during his set was when he played Omah Lay's Understand (DAWW Remix), displaying a fine knowledge of music, just as everyone who had played before him. Ryan Synth's set was a quintessential moment in justifying the fact that Hinde had a very dope lineup of DJs.
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| Ryan Synth, the El Jefe himself |
Afrohouse represents the more emotive side of electronic dance music, with its exquisite percussive arrangements and soulful yet pulsating and invigorating instrumentals—and this is what Hinde delivered. It was by all accounts a night to remember, as the genre continues to make significant inroads in Zimbabwe's music scene.
The debut in Harare was spectacular, and the sincere hope is that it is now a permanent fixture of Harare's electronic music scene.
I'm not one for religion, but Afrohouse has a spirituality that makes the communion of its followers a near-religious congregation, and this is what I deeply felt when Hinde made its debut in Harare. It was a proper celebration of celestial sounds. And it can only go further up from here.
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