UK electronic music icon Aluna Francis, now based on the West Coast, has collaborated with South Africa’s Kooldrink and Nigerian Prettyboy D-O to deliver one of the greatest cross-continental projects of 2022.
South Africa and Los Angeles are much closer than you think. Distance-wise we may be pretty far, but culturally, our ties have never been stronger. Dance music is fundamental to nightlife in both cities, and presently, the revamped hype towards the genre means its true history and upbringing in black culture are starting to receive proper recognition. Platinum selling electronic music legend Aluna has long been vocal about racial and gender inequality within the dance music scene. In 2020 she posted an open letter on the issue and in 2022, she announced Noir Fever, her own 3-day dance music festival in New Orleans featuring an all-black lineup. And now, Aluna is back again doing what she does best, making excellent music with a purpose.
When you’ve got Prettyboy D-O, Kooldrink, and Aluna all on one record, it’s guaranteed to be special. In "Nowhere To Hide", released under Diplo's label Mad Decent, Aluna, whose tantalizing vocals have kept us all up in clubs for the past decade, details her reluctance to be vulnerable in her relationship with lyrics like, “But if I told you what I feel for you, Then there'd be nowhere for me to hide”. Prettyboy D-O, known for pioneering the alté movement, plays the other half in this track, offering his own passionate perspective as he sings “If you want it, I can switch and go nasty…You say the word and, girl, I’ll be a romantic”. Produced by Kooldrink and London-based Higo, “Nowhere To Hide” is truly an international masterpiece. Refreshing, sensual, and high-spirited, this track is an ode to amapiano, a subgenre of South African house, and “celebrates the undeniably rich relationships that AMAPIANO has established between Los Angeles & South Africa”, as stated in the opening message of the music video. Described as jazzy dance music infused with elements of R&B & house music, amapiano is a phenomenon that has been surging over the last four or five years, completely taking over the airwaves in South Africa.
Two days ago on September 14th, the music video for “Nowhere To Hide”, a collaborative amapiano record by Aluna, Prettyboy D-O and Kooldrink, officially released. The video sees Aluna, donning icy blue dreads, joined by Prettyboy D-O and Kooldrink boarding a posh private jet bound for LA from Johannesburg. Kooldrink pilots the aircraft while Aluna and Prettyboy D-O kickback in the cabin, pictured posing in various dramatic film photos. Twinkling Sunset Boulevard and film reels of towering palm trees flood the visual space, intertwined with scenes of lively outdoor dance parties featuring the artists and their agile friends. A wonderfully joyous depiction of the similarities of life between Joburg and LA, two sunshine drenched towns. Check out the music video for "Nowhere To Hide" and let the easy, infectious amapiano spirit of this track show you what you've been missing.
09/16/2022
Aluna, Prettyboy D-O, Kooldrink
Pookie Los Angeles
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