Stream of the Day
Splice spotlights
SA sound
A new sample pack features music from Afro house, amapiano, gqom, and Afro tech genres.
Splice, an AI music production tool, has launched Splice Sessions: South Africa, featuring five new sample packs. These include Afro house, amapiano, gqom, and Afro tech.
The collection captures the region’s sounds, instruments, and culture. Previously, Splice Sessions has released sample packs from Senegal and Anguilla.
In a collaboration with Splice at Johannesburg’s Jazzworx recording studio, veteran and rising SA musicians have worked together to create new sounds. Artists include Kooldrink (Tyla, Aluna), Dr Feel (Defected), Afro tech duo Kususa (Defected, Get Physical, Armada), and legendary guitarist Themba Mokoena (Sibongile Khumalo, Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka).
The new Splice Sessions amplifies the voices of musicians and producers who carry the soul, depth, and unmistakable energy of SA’s musical heartbeat.
“Putting together the Amapiano Pop pack for Splice was such a fun experience,” says Kooldrink. “Amapiano has its own unique vibe, and I wanted to make it easy for producers everywhere to tap into. Can’t wait to share this with South Africa and the world – hope it inspires more artists to play around with the sound and push it even further”
A new Afro genre has been added to the Splice Create tool, enabling producers, songwriters, and instrumentalists to use these samples with Splice AI to build song starters and stacks.
In 2024 Afro House was the third fastest-growing genre for Splice users in Johannesburg, with a spike in downloads of over 200%. Afro House draws attention from international producers and ranks in the top ten of Splice’s most searched-for genres.
Kususa says: “Partnering with Splice has been an amazing opportunity to elevate the authentic sounds of SA. We’re very excited to share our pack and hope that it inspires other producers.”
Kenny Ochoa, Splice SVP of content, says: “We’re excited to bring these SA sounds to creators around the world. Genres like Afro house, Afro tech, and amapiano are shaping the future of music. The team had an incredible time working with these local musicians to capture the energy of South Africa and Johannesburg and the result is electric.”
