the ineffable beauty of ASANTE III, the new album by MÖRDA (3-step, SA dance music)

Only heard this this morning, but my, what a glorious thing to wake up to on an early Spring morning. This is already vying for best thing I've heard this year so far.

It's taken a while for me to get my head around the genre known as 3-step, a recent development in the South African house scene not disimilar to amapiano and gqom, characterised by cyclical triplet rhythms and an emphasis on the first three beats of a bar.

But guys, no wait, come back because this is really special. It really throws into persepctive that 3-step is a genre in its own right and not just a derivative offshoot of amapiano music.

I was hooked by the second track 'Vault', an instrumental that strongly reminds me of Plaid; so much so that I wonder if the producers were listening to Double Figure or Scintilli when they made it.

Later we get into more diverse territory and some great guest-spots, a who's who of SA dance royalty including Thakzin (who I believe possibly invented the genre).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPxz9CJ11k

Not many other full videos online, but here's a link to the dreaded Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5zi9wqbDdf4iBDSDWbzu6D?si=HI6Qw3DpT_2s1ceXTcelXg

And here's Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/za/album/asante-iii/1802662277

More info here: https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/sa-morda-releases-third-album-asante-iii

Wow Nomfundo Moh sounds good on this

Oh wow, this is good!

Reposting here in case this thread takes off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnbGxTkel0E
Babalwa M feat. JAZZWRLD, Thukuthela & GL_Ceejay - Amaphutha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA8WcPidWvs
Dlala Thukzin feat. Funky Qla, Thukuthela & Sykes- Indaba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYqqye2uwkQ
Dlala Thukzin feat. Zee Nxumalo, Funky Qla, MK Productions & jayJayy - Mahlalela

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21zI2dBKVj4
CIZA feat. Tems, Omah Lay, Thukuthela, JAZZWRLD - Isaka II (6am)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxeEvK28tuA
Jazzwrld & Thukuthela - Abasekho

Jazzwrld, Thukuthela, Funky Qla, Dlala Thukzin, and Zee Nxumalo are all over this sound

My apologies if dog latin wanted to center the thread around Mörda, I had remembered it as our 3-step thread but I guess that's an initiative.

no no, this can be the 3-step thread if we like!

My favourite track of the year is a three-step track!

screw it, may as well post it. it's from the OP album. I love it so much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi-yVp_hT4I

So good!