With searches for Afro house seeing a massive spike across platforms, it’s no overstatement to say that the genre has become a global movement.
In this article, we’re joined by acclaimed DJ, producer, and activist The.Wav on an in-depth look into the sonic characteristics, artists, and production techniques behind Afro house.
Let’s get started!
What is Afro house?
Afro house is a subgenre of house that emerged in South Africa in the ’90s. It integrates elements of Kwaito, deep, and soulful house music. Songs in the genre often feature South African languages and a mixture of synthesized elements and organic instruments like congas, mallets, and keys.
“I think Afro house can be described as a steady and repetitive flow of drum rhythms, blended with ambient progressive chords and soundscapes,” The.Wav adds.
Examples of Afro house music and artists
Prominent artists known for their Afro house music include Black Coffee, Keinemusik, Bucie, and Caiiro, among many others.
The.Wav also highlights two specific tracks that he views as particularly influential to the genre. “The bell sound in ‘Bells’ by DBN Gogo is iconic for a number of reasons,” he tells us. “It’s that consistent playing that scratches an itch somewhere in your brain. The sturdy drum rhythm is also a favorite among amapiano and Afro house DJs.”
“Mr JazziQ’s ‘Woza’ is another classic—Lady Du’s flow and delivery are absolutely mesmerizing.”
How to make Afro house music
While there’s no single workflow or set of tools for producing Afro house music, The.Wav shares some insights from his personal experience on how one could get started.
“You definitely need a drum machine of some sort, whether that’s a piece of hardware or something you use digitally on the computer,” he says. “You also need an analog or digital synthesizer to create the ambient textures. If you have the ability to program drums and add instruments, then you’re ready to go.”
“When it comes to physical instruments, I have a small ukulele that I occasionally sample for simple chords or loops. To create a unique sound, I typically process these samples through various distortion and filtering channels, ensuring that it’s not immediately recognizable as a ukulele.”
The.Wav’s go-to plugins
The.Wav also shares a number of plugins that he finds essential for shaping his signature sound within the genre. “The first is Autogun, a stock synth plugin included in every version of FL Studio,” he says. “I find Autogun to be invaluable, especially when manually constructing amapiano atmospheres. The second is Arcade by Output, known for its extensive library of distinctive sounds that can be manipulated into nearly anything. Finally, I rely on Sytrus, another stock plugin, specifically for bass sounds.”
“It goes with out saying that Splice Sounds also plays a huge part in my music production process,” he adds. “I love the raw EDM samples and the bass selections.”
An Afro house sample pack for your own productions
If you don’t have access to the physical instruments or synths you need to shape your Afro house tracks, The.Wav also offers a sample pack he made in collaboration with AQUITE that you can check out. “The Native Tongue: AfroHaus pack is an authentic representation of modern Afro house,” he shares. “I collaborated with DJ AQUITE, who uses Serato while I use FL Studio, so combining our production processes was very interesting and fun. We wanted to capture really authentic vibes, and in order to do that, we produced completed tracks first and then broke them down into samples.”
Looking towards the future of the genre
As music evolves, Afro house will also continue to incorporate new styles and influences into its sonic DNA.
“I think that we are going to take a dark twist, but in a good way,” The.Wav predicts. “I think the sound will take on more dark characteristics in the sense that both the subject matter and the actual instruments being used will induce more techno and deep house-inspired feelings.”
Conclusion
And there you have it—hopefully this article gave you a foundation on what Afro house is, and how you can start experimenting with the genre’s sounds yourself. Do you have any questions on Afro house? What genres would you like to see us explore next? Start a conversation with us and an ever-growing community of music creators via the Splice Discord.
Incorporate The.Wav’s sounds into your own productions:
September 25, 2024
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