Shimza has released ‘Sunset in Pretoria‘, a three-track EP on his own KUNYE label featuring collaborations with Demayä, Jnr SA, and Thatohatsi. Out today, June 19th, the project blends cinematic atmospheres, soulful vocals, and Afro House groove into what amounts to a personal tribute to South Africa.
KUNYE — the label and platform Shimza founded in 2020, the name meaning “together” in Xhosa and Zulu — has built a reputation as a home for Afro House and Afro Tech with genuine artistic substance. The imprint has hosted events from Johannesburg to London and released music from artists including Thakzin, Blanka Mazimela, and Darque, with remixes from the likes of Louie Vega and Rodriguez Jr. This EP is another chapter in that ongoing story.
Track by Track
The title track, ‘Sunset in Pretoria’, opens the EP in collaboration with Demayä, a French and Dubai-based producer known for an eclectic blend of Afro, organic, melodic, and Berlin-influenced club sounds — an artist who’s drawn support from Black Coffee, Damian Lazarus, Keinemusik, and Laurent Garnier. The track unfolds slowly: warm pads, hypnotic percussion, and melodic flourishes that build a sense of dusk and stillness before opening into a full groove. It’s patient and transportive.
‘Uma Wami’ shifts the mood toward something more vocal-led, with South African artists Jnr SA and Thatohatsi lending soulful harmonies over rolling rhythms. It sits in that space between club energy and emotional warmth — intimate but not fragile.
Closing track ‘Entle‘ is the EP’s most emotionally charged moment. Built around expressive vocals and a slow-burning arrangement, it holds its tension through careful restraint before releasing fully. It’s a deliberate closer — the kind of track that earns its ending.
Taken together, the three tracks move through different shades of South African electronic music while maintaining a cohesive identity. Shimza — born in Tembisa and now one of the more globally active figures in Afro House and Afro Tech, with festival credits including Tomorrowland, Ultra, and Cercle — has framed this one as something personal. It shows.
‘Sunset in Pretoria‘ is out now on KUNYE. Stream and purchase below.
