Shimza Releases 'Sunset in Pretoria' EP on KUNYE

KUNYE Continues Its Afro House Mission

KUNYE, the label and platform Shimza founded in 2020, takes its name from the Xhosa and Zulu word for "together." The imprint has built a reputation as a home for Afro House and Afro Tech with genuine artistic substance, hosting events from Johannesburg to London and releasing music from artists including Thakzin, Blanka Mazimela, and Darque, with remixes from the likes of Louie Vega and Rodriguez Jr. This EP is another chapter in that ongoing story.

Three Tracks, Three Moods

The title track opens the EP in collaboration with Dem­ayä, a French and Dubai-based producer known for an eclectic blend of Afro, organic, melodic, and Berlin-influenced club sounds. The track unfolds slowly: warm pads, hypnotic percussion, and melodic flourishes that build a sense of dusk and stillness before opening into a full groove. It's patient and transportive.

Uma Wami shifts the mood toward something more vocal-led, with South African artists Jnr SA and Thatohatsi lending soulful harmonies over rolling rhythms. It sits in that space between club energy and emotional warmth — intimate but not fragile.

Closing track Entle is the EP's most emotionally charged moment. Built around expressive vocals and a slow-burning arrangement, it holds its tension through careful restraint before releasing fully. It's a deliberate closer — the kind of track that earns its ending.

A Personal Statement

Taken together, the three tracks move through different shades of South African electronic music while maintaining a cohesive identity. Shimza, born in Tembisa and now one of the more globally active figures in Afro House and Afro Tech, with festival credits including Tomorrowland, Ultra, and Cercle, has framed this one as something personal. It shows.

Sunset in Pretoria is out now on KUNYE.