Five Things About The Joy’s Latest EP, 'Hammarsdale'

South African acapella group, The Joy, has reached a sweet level in their musical maturation with their latest EP titled Hammarsdale. The five young men – Ntokozo Magcaba, Melokuhle Mkuhungo, Sanele Ngcobo, Phelelani Sithole, and Sandile Sphelele Hlophe – have been in the music game for less than four years, making each release an opportunity to explore who they are as an ensemble. This time around, fans are given a more intimate look into who the cohort is and the unique sound they continue to master.

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Hammarsdale is the name of the Kwa-Zulu Natal township that all five members hail from, and the feelings of home are palpable throughout the project. As the group says of their career trajectory, “Life made us friends, music made us brothers,” noting their easygoing voyage onto the music scene. The all-male singing group got its start in high school, initially for fun until classmates and teachers urged them to think bigger for themselves. Their first singing video garnered over 250-thousand views, and the rest is history. Now, the fivesome has journeyed together across continents, global music charts, and into our hearts.

Their 2021 debut release, Amabutho, saw the quintet explore elements of traditional Zulu music, as well as the modern sounds that colored much of their young lives. Singing in the style of South Africa’s established genre “Isicathamiya”, the young talents have mastered the melancholic, nostalgia-inducing vocal textures that make the genre what it is. When faced with the group’s isolated vocals and harmonies, it’s no wonder that they grabbed the world’s attention. Utilizing social media to reach wider audiences, the acapella group has offered the world the opportunity to indulge in Zulu culture and excellence through their cell phones. Not even mentioning the fact that acapella as a genre has yet to be given its flowers, the ability to resonate with audiences who don’t understand the language you’re singing in is no small feat. But, the intoxicating nature of Isicathamiya and the solemn baritone voices that reverberate through your ears makes it hard to resist. It can’t be easy to sing sad songs and yet leave people with a feeling of exuberance after the fact, and they make it look so effortless, too.

In Hammarsdale, The Joy offers listeners a closer look into the group’s private thoughts of self while paying homage to the place they call home and what it gave to them.

South African acapella group The Joy.Photos by Kgomotso Neto.

OkayAfrica spoke to The Joy about their latest EP Hammersdale, and they gave us five essential facts about the project below.

1. A fresh sound and recording process

“The recording process was really different,” the band mentions. “Two Inch Punch, Ben Ash, was the executive producer on both EPs. For Amabutho he flew out to South Africa and we recorded in a hotel room in Durban. For Hammersdale, the experience was entirely different. We recorded in London and Durban with different producers, engineers, and a team of people in attendance. So the experiences were really different in terms of that and makes sense with our growth as musicians. Both were very special for different reasons!”

2. Sharing home and more of themselves

All members of the group hail from Hammarsdale, in South Africa’s East coast province Kwa-Zulu Natal. The newest addition to their musical discography takes its name from The Joy’s home, manifesting as the most intimate retelling of their shared and individual life experiences. “The stories being told define us as The Joy. The most important story is about Hammarsdale – where we live. It says that no matter what the circumstances of Hammarsdale are, we will never forget where we come from because it is these circumstances that have made us the group we are today. We’re sharing what is actually going on in this area of South Africa, and how people here react if you succeed in life.”

3. An evolution into their own voices

The world celebrated The Joy’s 2021 debut EP Amabutho, a body of work they say echoed the struggle themes that remain prevalent within their lineage. “Amabutho was based on music that was existing back in the years - music about the war, about parents dying, about families left stranded. This time around, it’s much more personal to us because we are singing about what we have seen and some of the things we have experienced in life. Hammarsdale is so close to our hearts as a group.”

4. Bringing culture to a wider audience

Revitalizing the traditional sound of isicathamiya, The Joy has taken isiZulu to wider audiences, no small feat. “We never expected that people would love us so much when we sing in a language that they don’t even understand. It’s so heartwarming to perform on stages in different parts of the world and hear people singing in Zulu. For us, these are the most priceless moments ever!”

5. Honoring the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’

History has shown us that artists working together in groups have the potential to let ego get the best of them. The group prides itself on its ability to focus on the bigger picture. “[We know] that unity is the power, and that: Together we stand and divided we fall. We sing as a group, but we often have differences in our music arrangements since we listen to different music genres. Sometimes we get into very serious arguments but none of us think about leaving the group because we understand we are stronger united as The Joy, rather than as individuals. Some members of the group are always at the forefront, leading songs, but that doesn’t make them superior to other members of the groups who are backing vocalists.”

Listen to The Joy’s latest EP Hammarsdale down below.