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King Maceeyar Meets Okzharp 'Whatsapp's Greatest Hits' Cassette
King Maceeyar Meets Okzharp 'Whatsapp's Greatest Hits' Cassette
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Super cool release this on Mal recordings of the South African producers Gqom tracks (If your not familiar a 2010's Durban self releasing dance scene) - These have been causing a stir on label boss Jon K's NTS shows.
From the label:
The relationship between the 2 artists developed in one of the Whatsapp groups where young South African producers share Gqom tracks, hence the name of the release... in the words of Okzharp:
"King Maceeyar’s tracks had a distinctive melodic sensibility and off-kilter emotional weight that captured my imagination. They seemed to reflect a kind of numb euphoria that just resonated with me and while I recognised most of the component parts, his tracks seemed to make the software sing."
The project files for the tracks on the release were lost when King's laptop was stolen but on receiving the demos Okzharp had a lightbulb moment after editing one of the cuts for a DJ mix he was working on and the collaboration was born.
In addition to the tracks themselves the tape is stitched together with short interludes made up of voice notes and field recordings of King's hometown of Shepstone which is on the coast half an hour from Durban.
Broadly speaking these tracks would be happy in a Gqom set but the unique musical thumbprint of King Maceeyar combined with the love and experience of Okzharp make for something that's much harder to pin down!
Here's a full breakdown of the release story from Okzharp:
"
This thing began in a place and time that now feels quite distant: a network of WhatsApp groups where Gqom producers exchanged music and gave each other hype and feedback.
I can’t remember how I got invited into these groups, but I used to lurk and click on things at random and save the ones that I liked. Among the constant stream of mp3s, memes and links, one guy caught my ear so I would keep an eye out for his shares. King Maceeyar’s tracks had a distinctive melodic sensibility and off-kilter emotional weight that captured my imagination. They seemed to reflect a kind of numb euphoria that just resonated with me and while I recognised most of the component parts, his tracks seemed to make the software sing.
One of the tracks, 'Our Memories', became a favourite and I would play it constantly. I used it as the opening of a DJ mix that I put together for Worldwide FM while promoting ‘Closer Apart’ my album with Manthe Ribane on Hyperdub and the track seemed to resonate with others too. Through the Swing Ting crew in Manchester I'd met Jon K around 2012 and we were in the habit of sharing music so when sending 'Our Memories' coincided with Jon & Elle collecting tracks for a MAL compilation it was a very easy choice for the selection on their 'Pressure II' release.
By then, “King” (as I had come to know him) and I had begun exchanging music directly on WhatsApp and we started chatting about releases and a possible collaboration. The intention was to work from King’s FL Studio project files, but mad life intervened when his mum’s laptop containing his entire production archive was stolen. All that remained was the folder of raw mp3 sketches so the line dropped out and things went dead until (whilst working on another mix) I tried a quick re-edit of one of the mp3s from King's folder - this was a bit of a lightbulb moment!
With King's blessing I started reshaping some arrangements, layering new textures, melodic touches and bits of rhythmic detail. The idea was to nudge these pieces closer to a finished state, whilst being careful to retain their original flavour. At some point I looked up and the folder had a stack of demos, so after the warm reception received by 'Our Memories' we talked about a possible MAL release of these tracks and the idea for this tape was born.
Throughout our digital relationship King and I have exchanged countless messages and voice notes and at some point the idea to include some of these in the release took shape - along with some local field recordings they became a series of interludes that stitch the tracks together and give an extra layer of connection to King's world.
When something takes time, it can lose a bit of its shine. But this never has, for me. Huge thanks to Jon and Elle whose humour, dedication, patience and attention to detail has been so inspiring and reassuring. And most of all massive thanks and huge respect to the one and only King Maceeyar.
Okzharp, August 2026
I can’t remember how I got invited into these groups, but I used to lurk and click on things at random and save the ones that I liked. Among the constant stream of mp3s, memes and links, one guy caught my ear so I would keep an eye out for his shares. King Maceeyar’s tracks had a distinctive melodic sensibility and off-kilter emotional weight that captured my imagination. They seemed to reflect a kind of numb euphoria that just resonated with me and while I recognised most of the component parts, his tracks seemed to make the software sing.
One of the tracks, 'Our Memories', became a favourite and I would play it constantly. I used it as the opening of a DJ mix that I put together for Worldwide FM while promoting ‘Closer Apart’ my album with Manthe Ribane on Hyperdub and the track seemed to resonate with others too. Through the Swing Ting crew in Manchester I'd met Jon K around 2012 and we were in the habit of sharing music so when sending 'Our Memories' coincided with Jon & Elle collecting tracks for a MAL compilation it was a very easy choice for the selection on their 'Pressure II' release.
By then, “King” (as I had come to know him) and I had begun exchanging music directly on WhatsApp and we started chatting about releases and a possible collaboration. The intention was to work from King’s FL Studio project files, but mad life intervened when his mum’s laptop containing his entire production archive was stolen. All that remained was the folder of raw mp3 sketches so the line dropped out and things went dead until (whilst working on another mix) I tried a quick re-edit of one of the mp3s from King's folder - this was a bit of a lightbulb moment!
With King's blessing I started reshaping some arrangements, layering new textures, melodic touches and bits of rhythmic detail. The idea was to nudge these pieces closer to a finished state, whilst being careful to retain their original flavour. At some point I looked up and the folder had a stack of demos, so after the warm reception received by 'Our Memories' we talked about a possible MAL release of these tracks and the idea for this tape was born.
Throughout our digital relationship King and I have exchanged countless messages and voice notes and at some point the idea to include some of these in the release took shape - along with some local field recordings they became a series of interludes that stitch the tracks together and give an extra layer of connection to King's world.
When something takes time, it can lose a bit of its shine. But this never has, for me. Huge thanks to Jon and Elle whose humour, dedication, patience and attention to detail has been so inspiring and reassuring. And most of all massive thanks and huge respect to the one and only King Maceeyar.
Okzharp, August 2026
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