The Mix 114: Shannen SP

When Shannen SP first cut her teeth in London’s bass and experimental scenes, it was alongside Hyperdub, the seminal dubstep imprint from Kode9 that underpinned the sound’s ascent in the ‘00s. Working as the label’s A&R and regular DJ at its events, she soon helped to launch Hyperdub’s much-commemorated club night Ø at Corsica Studios in 2017, an audio-visual project enlisting the likes of Björk and Arca to perform in its short three-year tenure, since memorialised in a "time capsule" book. While Shannen says those treasured South London nights are missed, there are no plans to bring them back for the time being, because she’s very much on to pastures new.

In the years since, Shannen SP has been flexing different muscles as a DJ, curator, and all-out creative. Alongside GAIKA and GLOR1A, she curated a multimedia exhibition at London’s ICA focusing on Black futurism in 2021, and more recently, was tapped by Colombian label TraTraTrax to put her curatorial prowess further to the test by piecing together a compilation of African diaspora-focused dance music.

Read this next: Constant innovation: Why Hyperdub is in a realm of its own

Challenged with launching the label’s new ‘Sampler’ series spotlighting underground sounds from the Global South, Shannen got to work. Over the course of a year it took shape across multiple cities – Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and her home in London – born out of innumerable studio sessions, stem-sharing in the taxi on the way to the club, and on-the-go production, all with an aim of tracing emerging dance music scenes in South Africa.

The resulting sound, which she dubs ‘Mzansi Bass’, shows a darker side of the usual styles you’ll find on the big stages across South Africa. The compilation's grit and "punk energy" draws from sounds like amapiano, kuduro, gqom and bass, but leans into new territory, featuring contemporary takes from DJ Lag, State OFFF, LYZZA & Boniface, and more.

"I wanted to ensure that I represented the real, current underground in South Africa at the time, including sounds that aren't reaching the usual circuits of Afrotech and amapiano," she explains. "I tried to draw on the strengths of each artist and bring them into a new space that they might not often produce in."

Following the release of ‘Mzansi Bass’ on TraTraTrax, we spoke to Shannen SP about the trajectory of the South African underground, the intricacies of curatorship, and more. She also delivers a sharp, percussive set live from Open Ground in Wuppertal. Check it out below. 

What have you been up to recently? Have you had a busy summer?

Summer has been fab so far, I just held an afterparty for Fête De La Musique at Badaboum in Paris with some of the most exciting Afro/Francophone underground artists who are blending genres like bouyon, kuduro, Haitian kompa, and coupé-décalé. I was there during the heatwave, so Paris was hot as hell, but such an alive city with a truly amazing diasporic electronic music culture. 

I then went to Berlin for another event I curated at OHM, with a full line-up of international women and femme artists including LYZZA, C.FRIM, Nunguja and Q2K, mixing elements of live vocal performances and intense DJ sets. Now, I’m preparing for my set this weekend at Open Ground – I’m nervous and excited because this club is seen as a temple!

Your self-curated album ‘Mzansi Bass’ just landed on TraTraTrax. How did you come to work with the label?

The idea suggested was for me to create a compilation for the label's 'Sampler' series a couple of years ago. At the time, I was frequently between South Africa and London, visiting family and working in Johannesburg, producing a sample pack of quintessential South African sounds for Spitfire Audio. I began working on this in 2024, and it began taking its full and final form in terms of tracklist and overarching story at the end of 2025.

What was your plan when curating ‘Mzansi Bass’? How did you go about selecting the artists that you did?

I was looking for music that could represent several different emerging and underground scenes in South Africa, and still contextually fit TraTraTrax's audience. This meant I had to compile harder, darker, bassier music, and also avoid leaning fully into slower BPMs. I held studio sessions to draw out what the sound of ‘Mzansi Bass’ is, and was conscious of avoiding some of the more well known or mainstream styles in South African dance music. I wanted to show the punk energy of the South African underground, and work with producers and artists that are experimenting and pushing the boundaries of bass music there. A lot of the artists are also friends who I have collaborated with for a while now.

All the tracks were created specifically for this compilation as a result of studio hopping and WhatsApp groups – what was the process like in its production?

The majority of the compilation is original material, born out of studio sessions spanning across Johannesburg and London. For example, we had one particular studio that me and the artists were in and out of, sharing music from our own local scenes. We'd send stuff back and forth to try and draw out the hybridity in the tracks, creating almost a third zone between South African dance music traditions and more Westernised ones. I tried to offer tips, explaining what kind of world TraTraTrax sits within as the sonic cultures are super different – the more recognised dance music scenes there are Afrotech, gqom and amapiano.

Conceptually, I think the process was inspired by nights when I tagged along with some producers, moving from one studio session to another with their insanely high work rate. They worked on completely different styles, sharing freshly-cooked tracks in the car or taxi on the way to the club, and I saw them talk about collectively pushing South African dance music further on a global scale. It really felt like, in some ways, people were working together to do that. There’s an element of collective pride and community in South African music that I don't feel I've seen to the same extent elsewhere.

The record explores the links between 3-step, gqom, amapiano, and “mutations” of Pritori rap. Did its curation feel quite instinctual and free-flowing, or did you have a very specific route you wanted to take?

I wanted to ensure that I represented the real, current underground in South Africa at the time, including sounds that aren't reaching the usual circuits of Afrotech and amapiano. For example, young artists like BarbiesSZN, who experiments with mutations of super-localised sounds like Pritori rap and gqom, but is also influenced by US rap. Then there’s Jay Music – I wanted to hear what he would sound like making a 3-step track, outside of the gqom and deep groove sound he's known for. With Deep Narratives, we talked about going deep and dark and making something that felt techno-adjacent but still truly South African in its DNA. I tried to draw on the strengths of each artist and bring them into a new space that they might not often produce in.

You also described it as a compilation of electronic music that is “embodied, trance-inducing and deeply physical”, can you expand on that?

Even with the arrangement of a lot of these genres, the music is made for real transcendental dancing, not just a lil’ shuffle. That's the physical element I'm referencing, and if you hear log drums or these basslines on a good system, it's body rattling.

Genres like amapiano and 3-step have emerged and really blossomed in recent years. How do you envision the future of those sounds, and their next evolution?

I think with the rate of innovation in cities like Johannesburg and Durban, completely new genres will emerge. I'm interested to see more cross-cultural collaboration happening, for example, Uncle Waffles and DJ Lag just put out a track with BarbieSZN and UK rapper BXKS. People are also getting more interested in incorporating styles like baile funk into homegrown genres – artists like Brother Kupa, who is fire, experimented with this on 'Brazil Freestyle'. We also have a LYZZA and Boniface crossover on the compilation... I'd be excited to hear more of this.

What’s next for you?

I'm going on tour in Australia, which I'm super excited about. Plus, I have some more music to release!

Can you talk us through your mix?

This mix is a live recording from my set at Open Ground in Wuppertal. It was the first time I've played there, and I can confirm that their system is a next level sonic experience - I've never heard these styles sound so good. Expect hybrids, unreleased material and some very deep and intense bass.

'Mzansi Bass' is out now on TraTraTrax. Buy it here

Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Instagram

Tracklist:
HENNYBELIT - Henzo Dlala
DJ Lag - Nops
??? - ???
Deep Narratives - Ghetto Gong
Deep Narratives - Umsindo 2.0
DJ Arabic - Spina Zonke (ft. M&W)
Dj Mata - Bhenga Span
Uncle Waffles, Royal Musiq & DJ Lag - Cn I see u (ft. Barbieszn & BXKS)
LYZZA & Boniface - Favelas (Bok's Dub)
SpacePose - Mugwanti
Permitted Gang - Korobe Ka Knownsee
??? - Back to Bang
Lelowhatsgood, Joshua Futura & Omagoqa - Ten Toes (ft. Larny & Naitor)
AkiidMusiq - Vutha Mlilo
LIKKYLIKS - CHOMI
State OFFF - Jozi Club
PITCHKA - The Log Drum Zurna Ha
Q2K - Label Whores
WOST - Azaroso
Ziggy Twiss - Wiebling
T.NO - Taboo
MaXXXim & XS BULLY - Collapsar
Chuckie - Nu Ga Je Dansen Klootzak! (Yucky Edit)
Jarreau Vandal - Schudden (Vandalized Edit)
Philou Louzolo - Samarou Strikes Again
T.NO - BATERIA
DJ Xandy Oliveira - SR CARLOS (Cargo Tech Edit)
Andy Ueboa - Tetanoboba (ft. GRIM, Ezek & Erel)