Esa's Afro-Synth Band with Kamazu and Mim Suleiman

Here for RISING, Esa is a London-based DJ hailing from Cape Town.

He’s been on a global mission to revive the legacy of the South African dance music borne during apartheid — a sound that vibrates with the irreverent, conspiratorial spirit of the era’s record collections and illegal music gatherings. Together with his synth-slinging pals, Ami Koda and Alexander Burke, Esa enlists an ever-evolving lineup to help unearth the soulful melodies, electrified grooves and bubblegum bass pop of the 1980s and ‘90s. For RISING, he’s invited Zanzibar-born singer composer and campaigner Mim Suleiman as well as South African disco star Kamazu to the stage.

Ausecuma Beats formed as a combination of musicians from Australia, the Senegambia region, Cuba, and Mali. They’ve pointed out that they’re more than just a band, they’re a philosophy based on the idea of place — that you can transplant cultural heritage into a new city and forge community.