- The product of a Rwandan refugee turned singer and a South African TV jingle composer coming together, John Wizards' debut album for the ever-progressive Planet Mu was one of the unlikely hits of the year. The album's reference points included Afro pop, South African deep house and Shangaan electro—and "Muizenberg" was its standout moment. To a backdrop of staccato guitar, a slo-mo electro thrash and mournful piano, vocalist Emmanuel Nzaramba unleashes his traffic-stopping voice, an elegant Aaron Neville-meets-Antony Hegarty falsetto.
Which could all be very daunting for a remixer. Credit is due, then, to Seiji and The 2 Bears for pulling off versions that are a fine supporting cast for the beguiling original. Broken beat pioneer Seiji picks out the piano motif for extra treatment on his remix. He slows the pace down a notch, adding heavy bass pulses and fidgety, cut-up synths that spit like mobile phone interference. The 2 Bears mix finds Messrs Rundell and Goddard turning in an enigmatic, nine-minute house shuffle, where this time the bassline— a loping, raw twang—is the star. It's supported by an extended breakdown with '90s house stabs, music box keys and liberal dollops of Nzaramba's wonderful vocals.
TracklistA1 Muizenberg
A2 Muizenberg (Seiji Remix)
B1 Muizenberg (The 2 Bears Remix)