New Release: BLK JKS “After Robots”

South African psychedelic rock dub group BLK JKS (pronounced “Black Jacks”) have released a new album After Robots on the Secretly Canadian record label. The BLK JKS have been sharing performances with both Dirty Projectors and Afro-pop icon Femi Kuti.

After Robots lives up BLK JKS description, you’ll hear raw township sounds mixed with reggae and blasts alternative rock. BLK JKS was formed by bassist Molefi Makananise and drummer Tshepang Ramoba, both of whom are from Soweto. BLK JKS also includes singer Lindani Buthelezi and guitarist Mpumi Mcata.

The BLK JKS generated a lot of buzz at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas and have gotten rave reviews in both Rolling Stone and SPIN.

“We listened to pretty much everything,” said Makananise. “We grew up hearing so many sounds from everywhere in the world: reggae, jazz, gospel, African and world music, classical – and rock and pop music, of course. I didn’t listen to one particular kind of rock when I was growing up. I’d hear a song on the radio and think it was really cool – U2, the Police, so many different groups.” Be sure to check out BLK JKS on MySpace for sample tracks.

The track list includes:

1. Molalatladi
2. Banna Ba Modimo
3. Standby
4. Lakeside
5. Taxidermy
6. Kwa Nqingetje
7. Skeleton
8. Cursor
9. Tselane

Preview and download After Robots