I was walking through Watershed
in Cape Town when I suddenly heard the music calling me to the end of the
building… There were four guys
playing what I found the most beautiful, distinctly
and unusual sounds I heard in a while.
Maybe it was the unexpected
that had so much impact on me, and all the amazing architecture surrounding us.
Or maybe just the fact that the based
African-psycadelic-pop band reminds me so much of some of my favourite indie bands with the unique incorporation of a number of unusual instruments in their performance,
including marimba, banjo, djembe drums and the hang – a German instrument
comprised of two metal shells joined together, with indentations which when
tapped produce different notes.
According to sa music
scene: “Native Young, considered the ‘brainchild’ of front man
Yannick Meyer, has grown over the last year to become the six piece band
it is today, blurring the lines between cultural musical barriers with band
members hailing from South Africa to Spain. Their debut single, “Children of
the Sun”, released last September was released in the UK, America and Europe
and was included in the UK Elle “Sounds of Summer” it-list. Their unique,
eclectic sound has since caught the attention of UK record company PIAS, with
whom they recently sealed an EP deal.
(…) Yannick Meyer adds a
fresh element to the sound with his smooth falsetto vocals. Their overall sound
is down-tempo, delicately foot-tapping and constantly evolving from one song to
the next.”
Native Young are definitely
bringing a new, fresh and delightfully traditional twist to the local indie
scene. Their songs sing to my heart and fill my days with happiness and hope for a better future.
