“‘Isencane Lengane’ is a gorgeous piece of music, so relaxing in its gentle flow and subtle distillation of sound. Each voice flows over the next, with The Joy exhibiting tremendous calm and poise in their performance.” – Clash
“The song is a breathtaking introduction to the band’s unique sound.” – PAM
“The Durban-based group aims to spread long-lost, organic euphoria — and their debut single achieves just that.” – OkayAfrica
Today, South African quintet The Joy release their brand-new EP Hammarsdale. The six-track EP is out now via Transgressive Records / Gallo Records. With their roots in traditional Zulu music and modern acapella, their latest offering tells stories from home.
The group explained, “The songs are pictures of our lives and daily experiences in the township of Hammarsdale in Kwazulu Natal where we grew up, met and live in. The songs speak about love and hate, separation and unification, jealousy and trust, regret, hope and forgiveness.”
Hailing from a small town just outside of Durban in South Africa, The Joy’s members met at high school after entering a singing competition together. Their music quickly spread internationally through their Instagram and TikTok accounts and, before long, they were working with producer Two Inch Punch (Kali Uchis, Jessie Ware, Years & Years). Through his label imprint, the quintet released their debut single “Isencane Lengane” in May 2021, with EP Amabutho following in September of that year; then 2022 saw the group sign with Transgressive and release “Egoli” – collectively helping set the group on course to become a global phenomenon.
They have caught the attention of Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Sam Smith and at the end of 2022 appeared on the iconic UK music show Later…with Jools Holland for a one-off live recorded special for Jools’ 30th Birthday Bash filmed at London’s Eventim Apollo where they performed their debut single “Isencane Lengane”.
More recently they teamed up with DJ-producer The Blessed Madonna, appearing on the hit “Shades of Love”, which was christened as both a Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1 as well as a playlist single,
