Dankie Sounds is spreading diasporic dancefloor delight worldwide

Welcome to Ibiza: the small slice of Mediterranean paradise off the southern coast of Spain known in more colloquial circles as the clubbing capital of the world. Across the nightclubs, raves and festivals that have become emblematic of its dance music scene, nothing is perhaps more synonymous with Europe's sin city than its superclubs. Amnesia, Hï Ibiza. Pacha, Ushuaïa, Eden. The very ilk of Ibizan nightlife. Underneath the party island's throbbing pulse however, you'll find a new fixture taking over the night.

The motive in question? Dankie Sounds. Powered by the sounds and spirit of southern and western Africa, the London-based collective – made up of co-founders Babatunde Adeniyi, James Anyiam, Kaz Brown and Sama Olarewaju – is on a mission to become the flagship destination for those seeking a vibrant raving experience, served with a diasporic twist. “Dankie Sounds came about just before lockdown ended.” James says. “Myself, Tunds, Kazzy and Sama all linked up because we wanted to express ourselves across the genres we loved: amapiano, Afro house, Afrobeats and EDM.” Since 2021, Dankie Sounds has been capturing the hearts of dance music lovers from London to Accra, riding high on the rise and resurgence of South African sounds like amapiano and gqom, which leapt out of the ashes of a global pandemic and into the warm embrace of clubgoers the world over.

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On any given Dankie Sounds night you can expect the unexpected. Somewhere, a DJ in some very dark shades is spinning out on the decks, pumping the lifeblood of the party vibes with pulsating 'piano, piano!' basslines and swaggering Afrobeat anthems. ‘Can you feel it?’ Dankie’s resident emcee riffs, to which the congregation of ravers refrain ‘Yeeeeh-boo!’. To your left and right respectively, live drummers and dancers beat back the beat with more vim and vigour than a night out on MTV's Jersey Shore. And after six hours of pure sensory overload and diasporic delight, you leave the club carpeted in confetti, a flushed smile on your face and the faint trace of vuvuzelas trumpeting bloody murder in your ear. As if that wasn't enough enjoyment for one night, you get to doggy-bag all leftovers, with a neon glow stick tucked under your armpit and a keepsake whistle in tow. Paraphernalia of a night well spent if you ask me.

With a slew of some of the hottest artists, DJs and producers in tow, the team headed out to the Balearic Islands to host their Ibiza Weekend in late-September for a big send-off to summer '24 – promising to put the ‘groove’ back into the dance music scene they’ve avidly followed for so long, and pay homage to some of its Black subcultural offshoots and origins from Detroit techno to Chicago house, in the process. “We wanted to take over the world. We decided on Ibiza first,” laughs James. “Ibiza has been a memorable holiday destination for all four of us, for many years. We all have amazing personal experiences there with our friends and loved ones.”

Comprising of a spread of pre-, day, boat, night and after- parties across a range of beach bars and nightclubs, Dankie Sounds delivers the full spectrum of what could you want from an Ibiza weekend. But in typical fashion, the element of surprise jumps out. As day two breaks to dusk at the picturesque beach club, Playa Soleil, bathed under indigo blue lights, the air is thick with anticipation for closing act Kelvin Momo. Then, a sudden cameo from South African producer and maestro Black Coffee sets the crowd alight. The atmosphere turns transcendental, as the sweet sounds of deep Afro house thrum through our veins, crystallising the vibes with the Durban-born DJ’s sonic tales by moonlight.

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When it comes to putting on a night, Dankie Sounds knows the secret to the perfect blend. Soundtracked by the sounds and spirit of the African diaspora from Soweto to Joburg, London to Lagos and beyond, with an assemblage of cutting-edge and established acts, headliner highlights featured from both home and away: powerhouse Mzansi duo Major League DJz; Nigeria’s DJ Tunez; Paris nightlife natives Sixtion, plus a host of London clubbing firm favourites such as Juls and Nicky Summers to name a few.

Reporting live from the dancefloor of night two’s location, the illustrious Eden “the Black dance scene is hotter than Nigerian pepper soup right now” founding member James observes. “Everyone is active – so many new DJs, hosts and producers making music. Everyone wants it right now! It’s not going anywhere. For Dankie Sounds, it’s here to stay, and this is just the beginning.”

Appearances from the likes of Uncle Waffles, DBN Gogo to Charisse C, and more, are reflective of the wider tradition of women from the Southern African landscape that are carrying the amapiano sound around the world. Back in the green room and on the cutting-edge of her career, the bass of DJ Maphorisa’s 'Manzi Nte' bouncing off the walls, headliner DJ Skyla Tylaa describes the Dankie Sounds experience “like a fairytale. When we’re partying, we’re partying together. It’s not a show, it’s a rave. We’re going all in.” Jumpstarting with a crowd-pleasing piano mix of Darkoo’s 'Favourite Girl', one of the strongest contenders for song of the UK summer, the London-based DJ took us through the scenic route of her inspired, South African fusion set – including an exclusive sneak-peek into a yet-to-be-released amapiano track by Wizkid. Will we be getting that Wizkid drop soon? Watch this space.

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Under the old-glam grandeur and psychedelic Grecian-inspired decor oozing from their closing event at Es Paradis, a staple of the Ibizan party skyline since the mid ‘70s, it’s hard to not already feel nostalgic about a weekend well spent. In true Dankie Sounds form, the surprise factor of the night features a surprise ‘wet party’ – with an impromptu pool filling out the grounds à la Fort Boyard game show. A melee ensues and it’s all thrills from here on out.

For James, the vision is still world domination. “We want to host successful shows all over: South Africa. Ghana. Nigeria. Kenya. We want to pop up in Sweden, Greece, the United States, Canada. Australia too! Next stop? Dubai.” Helping to spread amapiano around the world, a thousand air miles at a time, the sky is truly the limit for Dankie Sounds.

Shirley Ahura is a freelance writer, follow her on Twitter