Ibiza Virgins' Guide to… Afro House – Ibiza Spotlight

The sound of the island.
Ibiza is known for its dance music the world over, but that is an umbrella term for various different styles. Our series on the genres of music found on the island helps identify the parties, clubs and DJs best suited to your tastes.
With International Music Summit set to put the spotlight on Afro-centric dance music at this year’s conference with Amplifying Amapiano, next we embrace the warm front rising from the southern hemisphere. It’s House, but perhaps not as you know it.
The stage is set for the ascension of Afro House.
Get to know the evocative sound of Afro House with our essential playlist.

Follow the playlist here and subscribe to our Spotify channel here.
Afro House parties to attend in 2024:
Black Coffee at Hï Ibiza | Saturdays
Masaka Africana at Cova Santa | various Fridays, late May to September
Zazu at Eden | Mondays, May to early June
Dance Africa at Es Paradis | Sundays
Nasty Beats at Lío Ibiza | Mondays
You will also be in Afro House heaven at Hï Ibiza Closing Party when KEINEMUSIK take over – or indeed any party the trio appear.
Other parties to look out for, include BOHO Experience‘s weekly soirees at Beachouse and its occasional carry-ons at Club Chinois. Another option is Kintar presents Summerians, which is a free party taking place at Playa Soleil on Saturdays.
Closely aligned to Deep House, Afro House is House music that features native instrumentation and musical elements from African culture. Emerging in South Africa and Angola in the late ’90s, its fair to say that Afro House was made to work hard for its respect.
Only now, some 25 to 30 years later, it is finally getting its dues.
Today, party scenes can be found all over the continent, including Zanzibar (Tanzania), Botswana, Namibia and Cape Verde. But just like its curious nomadic ancestors, Afro House has broken out of Africa into new territories.
Global dominance is well underway as its popularity soars.
The most obvious example of this style of music on Ibiza, is Hï Ibiza’s Saturday night host Black Coffee. His residency, underdog backstory and heightened profile have helped take Afro House to the global stage. Now he is producing tracks for music royalty, such as Drake.

Other leading DJs include THEMBA, Shimza and Osunlade. They all play Ibiza.
Typical bpm range: 110 – 126
Read our 2022 interview with two of the biggest protagonists in Afro House, Sef Kombo and Kitty Amor.
Meet the rest of the family tree…
Before there was Afro House, there was Tribal House.
Unlike other sub-genres of House, synthesised melodies are less common, with erratic or intricate drum patterns used as the hook. These are, in part, inspired by tribal ceremonies indigenous to Africa and South America. Ethnic chanting is also often used, although its authenticity sometimes comes under scrutiny with accusations of cultural appropriation.

Labels such as Strictly Rhythm and Get Physical are seen as instrumental in popularising Tribal House.
Amapiano is an emerging variation of Afro House that you can expect to be hearing more of in the next few years.
Born in the townships of South Africa, “amapiano” literally translates from Zulu as “the pianos“. Lyrics are often bittersweet, verbalising the trials and tribulations of their daily lives, as shaped by low economic and social status.

The productions have a really raw, DIY aesthetic.
Such is the rise of this exciting new sound, that in Amplifying Amapiano: The Journey of a Genre from The Township to the Global Stage, IMS will unpack Amapiano’s cultural influence and impact on the global electronic music trends.
Dare Balogun (Ballantine’s True Music Strategist), Grace Ladoja (Music Executive at Metallic Inc), Sarah Jane Nicholson (Managing Director of Africa Rising Music Conference), Shanae Dennis (Agent for Wasserman Music) and Tunde Adeniyi of Dankie Sounds all take part.
Elsewhere at the conference, two-time Grammy-nominated Nigerian musician and DJ Sarz, the producer behind Beyoncé and Drake’s recent forays into electronic music, speaks to NTS radio’s Charisse C, another vanguard of African dance music.
Sarz also plays at IMS Grand Finale in the fortified Old Town on Friday 26 April, where he plays back-to-back with another purveyor of Afro House in Kilimanjaro.
There’s little doubt, Afro House and all its derivations are here to stay – and they won’t be doing so quietly.
Find here our other music guides:
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… House music
– Deep House
– Tech House
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… Techno
– Melodic Techno
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… Disco
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… Garage
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… Minimal music
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… EDM
Ibiza Virgins’ Guide to… Reggaeton
This article is part of our Ibiza Virgins’ Guides, packed full of information on how to get the most out of your stay on Ibiza. Check them out.
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