Afropop Worldwide

The title of Spoek Mathambo's first album, Mshini Wam, translates to “bring me my machine,” but for his latest release, the “Prince of Township Tech” surrounded himself with four flesh-and-blood collaborators. The EP made under the name Fantasma doesn't depart from Mathambo's South African electronic roots, so much as it piles on top of it. Fantasma is Mathambo, Township Funk and Bacardi House godfather DJ Spoko, former Machineri guitarist André Geldenhuys, drummer Michael Buchanan, and maskandi multi-instrumentist Bhekisenzo Cele. Soundway Records, which releases the EP this week, describes the group as “a five-man collective which weaves together electronica, hip-hop, traditional Zulu maskandi music, shangaan electro, South African house, psych-rock and punk to form a unique, original and fresh hybrid.” The curious can check out the title track from Eye of the Sun below. Mathambo told Dazed Digital that the band sees the song as their mission statement, “a place where all our different backgrounds explode into each other.” Headphones are highly recommended. Pre-orders for Eye of the Sun are available through Soundway's website, where you can also stream another track. Soundway also promises that Fantasma has a full-length coming out early in 2015. If you're in the U.K., you can see Fantasma headlining the 100 Club in London on Nov. 18.