‘Dj Lag’ brings native Durban sound to life in new album

IT’S not everyday that a new music genre is introduced into the mainstream and captures the ears of the global audience, but that is what happened with Gqom and as one of the pioneers of this native Durban sound, Dj Lag has a lot to be proud of.

Earlier this decade, a new wave of sound washed over the Durban music scene. It was a combination of electro, kwaito and techno. It was first dubbed ‘uthayela’ because it sounded like someone banging on corrugated iron before everyone settled on ‘Gqom’.

Lwazi ‘Dj Lag’ Gwala, 25, from Durban, was one of those artists toying around with this new sound.

“You could say I started making Gqom by accident. Around 2011 I heard a song by Naked Boys called iThoyizi and before this I was listening to and making tribal house. I tried to replicate this with broken beats and it turned into something else – I would say this was my first Gqom track,” he said.

Around that time, there was a real shift in the South African music scene happening with Durban artists trying to make the city a music hub equal to Johannesburg.

“I’m prominent in the Gqom scene because I played a big role in starting the genre. I’ve worked to push the sound globally. It has been a lot of hard work to create my own mixing style, adding different techniques and effects and I’m constantly wanting to push the boundaries of Gqom music,” said Dj Lag.

Many prominent Dj’s would take this sound, adding different variations to it and claiming ownership of it. The same debate is currently being had in SA around a new sound, ‘amapiano’, about who started it.

There is though clear consensus, that Gqom was started and brewed in Durban. There is also a clear consensus that ‘amapiano’ originated in Johannesburg, a laid back, jazzy, deep house sound that presents a refined alternative to gqom.

“I listen to a lot of different genres which influence my production. I wouldn’t say that amapiano has changed the way I make music but since amapiano has come around, I’ve made my sound a bit more musical. It wasn’t a conscious decision not to follow the general amapiano trends, I just wanted to continue to grow in my own way as a DJ Lag and not as the follower of a trend,” said Dj Lag.

Dj Lag said he’s now working on trying to trying to infuse Afrotech sound with Gqom

A quick glance on Dj Lag’s Instagram account and you get a visual synopsis of how big his imprint on the glocal music scene is.

Like many artists though, the coronavirus pandemic, has consigned Dj Lag to his home with all his gigs and events for the year cancelled. He has been spending the time promoting his second album, Uhuru, and recently released a cinematic music video, shot in Durban, for the song Dis Uhuru featuring Sanelly Moonchild.

“This (represents) a huge change in the way we consume music and the live experience is a huge part of how we grow as artists and how we connect to our audiences. But I understand that this is what we have to do to keep people safe and healthy, so I need to find different ways for audiences to connect with my music and I am up for the challenge,” said Dj Lag.

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