Focalistic has risen up the ranks of South African vocalists and as we write this today he has established himself as one of the most reliable collaborators in local music. With a growing reputation as a feature King, the Pitori Maradona used this month as the opportunity to assert himself as a solo artist with the release of the Quarantined Tarantino EP.
It’s difficult to imagine a genre of music that Focalistic couldn’t execute. His versatility is a weapon and he makes the most of it on the Tarantino-inspired EP.
The famous Hollywood director has inspired a number of musicians across the world, from Logic to Wu Tang Clan, Quentin Tarantino is a pop cult.figure and he was part of the inspiration behind the cinematic EP released by the Pretoria-Born muso.
The opening track Bothatha Keng sets the scene for an album that wouldn’t feel out of place as the soundtrack to a grungy local film as Focalistic’s gruff vocals narrate the setting in sizzling and slick siPitori.
“Maradona” has definitely been scoring on the charts in recent months, having featured on some of the biggest amaPiano tracks in the country in the last year. On Quarantined Tarantino, however, he takes his sound in more than one direction and graces his listeners with a blend of genres from trap to afrobeat to kwaito and beyond. Focalistic is highly involved in the project’s multitude of sounds, distorting and moulding his vocals along the way.
Each song feels like a different chapter in our journeyman’s story, almost as if you were listening to a film play out before your very ears, and the end result is an enjoyable story that flows, peaks, settles – not unlike a Tarantino film. That the record dropped at the height of South Africa’s lockdown didn’t hurt his chances of getting the masses to listen.
Speaking about his desire to keep fans entertained during the lockdown, Foc’ as he’s affectionately known said:
“When the lockdown was commissioned, I felt like a lot of people were feeling trapped. A lot of people felt like this was a moment where they couldn’t do anything about everything. Especially the ones in the arts. My way of resistance is the EP. I’m resisting becoming complacent, resisting the temptations of leaving my art, and hopefully, I can inspire people to be as productive as they can.”
As he continues to grow into a household name in South African music, Focalistic’s latest offering is a reminder of why he continues to be taken seriously by the biggest names in South African music.
Have you streamed Quarantined Tarantino yet? You can listen to it on Spotify below.