XtetiQsoul goes retro with 10 rousing bootleg mixes
The lean mean remixing machine that is XtetiQsoul has done it again!
Well…sort of…kind of…
Recently the respected “remix killer” released a “Retro Compilation” of ten rousing bootleg
mixes spanning back to 2012 when he first emerged onto the scene.
This re-release of sorts is a journey into the signature XtetiQsoul sound and is available for free download on the official Iklwa Brothers website.
House Music staples from the early 2010s such as, "Do Better" by The Layabouts featuring Portia Monique and "Falling" by DJ Kent featuring Malehloka, all get finessed with the XtetiQsoul touch.
This means tension-filled brooding synths and the steadily rising urgency of musical arrangements that feel like the film score to a blockbuster thriller. The aptly titled XtetiQsoul Atmosphere Remix of “The Way Back” by Evolve featuring Margo Rey & Red Broad does indeed invoke the atmosphere of an Afro Tech fuelled club excursion.
In a similar manner a lighter almost dreamy feel is projected by XtetiQsoul’s Fantasy Mixes of “Crazy” by Ornette and “Addicted” by Suchy.
While every track on this compilation more than holds its own, the absolute standout for me is
the XtetiQsoul AfroCestral Vocal Mix of “Afrika Wo-Man”.
This track was done originally, quite impressively I must add, by UPZ, Black Motion and Theo Lawson, is reworked skillfully by XtetiQsoul.
From the onset the track slams your eardrums with a hypnotic buildup that eventually climaxes in a psychedelic orchestra of different sounds.
The result is a euphoria, an almost giddy like sense of being tipsy but not high. By taking things back musically, Iklwa Brothers really made an inspired gamble as going retro can be a hit or miss affair.
Rehashing the past or showing us the future?
On the sunnier side of things, going the retro route can showcase an artist’s growth while stirring up fond memories. Inversely, outdated or poorly put together selections can relegate an artist to being the “Throwback Thursday” hashtag special. At worst, it even gets us wondering why the heck we even liked the music in the first place.
XtetiQsoul’s futuristic Afro House production style puts these doubts to rest as his sound then is still relevant to the current House Music environment.
The tracks are available for download separately or as a continuous mix; road trip anyone?
XtetiQsoul, real name Siyabonga Ziqubu, has been consistent in releasing quality work over the past few years.
The “Retro Compilation” has no discernible low points and will sit comfortably on any playlist’s tracks have after all enjoyed rotation on the underground since roundabouts 2012.
