BCUC (ZA)

The afro-psychedelic septet BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness) resides in a flourishing DIY area just a stone’s throw from the church where Desmond Tutu organized the escape for the most wanted anti-apartheid activists in Soweto, South Africa. And it’s not entirely coincidental. BCUC sees their music as hedonistic trance, but also as a weapon for political and spiritual liberation in line with previous generations’ struggle for justice.

BCUC’s sound is both contemporary and original, confident and empowering. It’s packed with funky grooves and hip-hop sensibility, but also repetitive bass riffs, flutes, and galloping percussion, as an unwavering tribute to the hope and fighting spirit of previous generations. The group sings and chants loudly about the harsh realities faced by poor workers in South Africa, but at the same time, the homeland, as portrayed by BCUC, is not poor but rich in tradition, rituals, and faith. When BCUC performs live, they pull the audience right into the trance.

*2023 Womex Artist Award Winners*

“without a doubt the best live act I saw”- Gilles Peterson

“Loved their set, it was one of my highlights of a great weekend” – Nick Dewey, Glastonbury Festival

“guaranteed to touch untapped corners of your soul” – Okayafrica

“the most impressive newcomers this year” – The Guardian