Gqom pioneer DJ Lag announces local EP launch tour

Catch the Gqom King as he plays three shows in three cities over three weekends.

Black Major and Concerts SA are proud to announce DJ Lag’s South African EP launch tour. The 21-year old producer released his debut EP off London-based record label Goon Club Allstars on 11 November 2016.

The self-titled EP dropped while DJ Lag was on a world tour with Gqom Oh! Records label boss Nan Kole. DJ Lag comments: “We had to wait till he returned home to celebrate. I am incredibly happy to be able to launch this EP locally, and I am very grateful to have the support of Black Major and Concerts SA”.

History will remember DJ LAG as a pioneer who helped catapult the quintessentially Durban Gqom sound beyond the confines of the city, to the capitals of the global electronic music industry. With sparse, house-like glitch rhythms, the sound was wildly popular within Durban but has for many years remained underground, its name – Gqom – only used to define thumping beats. Today, the music known as Gqom is globally recognised as one of the most exciting sounds to come out of South Africa, and sets dance-floors alight on many corners of the globe.

Born Lwazi Asanda Gwala, the 20-year-old DJ LAG is widely recognised as the main pioneers of Gqom. Since his arrival on the scene, he has played major events including the 2015 Johannesburg-leg of Boiler Room, and the 2016 Cape Town Electronic Music Festival. He spoke alongside electronic music heavyweights like Skrillex and Euphonik at the Bridges For Music knowledge-sharing workshop held in Kliptown, Soweto, in February 2016.

Following his set at the G-Star Raw x Boiler Room Sessions in Johannesburg in 2015, New York-based The Fader wrote: “DJ LAG stepped up to the decks to show exactly why everyone’s going crazy for Gqom. The minimal house genre born from the coastal city of Durban is dark, heated, and easy to lose yourself in.”

Felix a.k.a producer Moleskin, a co-founder of London label Goon Club All Star told Dazed & Confused: “When I first heard Gqom it felt like music that I’d been waiting to hear.” DJ LAG caught the attention of Moleskin and his partners at Goon Club All Stars after they discovered Gqom over the internet, and became fans of DJ LAG and Rude Boyz in particular. The label has just released LAG’s upcoming EP as the DJ-producer continues his quest to unleash Gqom on the global music massive.

DJ Lag’s South African EP launch Tour is supported by the Music Mobility Fund, a funding mechanism administered by Concerts SA which offers opportunities for South African musicians to undertake live music tours.

Concerts SA is a joint South African/Norwegian initiative housed under the auspices of the Stakeholder Hub within the SAMRO Foundation; it receives financial, administrative and technical support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SAMRO Foundation and Concerts Norway. Working with musicians, promoters, venue owners and audiences, the project aims to support live music in South Africa by finding and implementing ways to create a vibrant and viable live music circuit. It also aims to develop an interest in and appreciation of live music by showcasing music performances and conducting workshops at schools. For more information please visit our website, follow @ConcertsSA on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

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Events Listing

Johannesburg – The Bannister Hotel

Thursday 1st December – 9.30pm – R 60

Address: 9 De Beer St, Johannesburg

Contact: 011 403 6888 / andrew@blackmajor.co.za

Cape Town – Muse all Weekend Music Festival

Saturday 10th December – 8pm – R 160

Address: No.3 Industry Street, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town

Contact: 021 426 9002 / david@nomadiqmusic.com

Durban – Club 101

Friday 16th December – 12am – R 50

Address: Union Street, Durban

Contact: www.facebook.com/pg/Club101.dbn

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