What’s Happening in Eswatini: A Sonic Surge of Creativity

This past week has marked a turning point in Eswatini’s cultural calendar. With a wave of new music releases, live radio moments, and the long-awaited announcement of Bushfire Festival’s first wave of artists, Eswatini’s creative energy is not just visible — it’s undeniable.

At the center of this movement is a growing number of independent artists, collectives, and music platforms shifting the narrative and building new ecosystems for sound. Leading this conversation is Only Make Waves, an independent creative platform committed to developing artists and art that stands for more than just entertainment.

Only Make Waves on the Airwaves

On a recent feature with DJ Celso, Only Make Waves co-founders took to the national airwaves to discuss the platform’s journey and the expanding universe around it. From its design-led origins to its recent expansion into music through Only Make Waves Music, the platform is evolving fast. The live radio conversation revealed upcoming plans for multiple artist releases, community collaborations, and further development of Eswatini’s art scene.

Central to this announcement was the release of Within the Influence, the debut full-length album by Nakiso — an artist who is not only a co-founder but one of the platform’s defining voices.

Within the Influence by Nakiso: A Sonic Statement

Released on 9 May 2025, Within the Influence is an ambient and experimental album rooted in mood, space, and texture. With nine tracks that stretch between minimal techno, modern ambient, and post-club atmospheres, the album explores personal movement, emotional memory, and sonic decay.

Nakiso pulls from influences like Ben Frost and Ludwig Cimbrelius, embracing granular manipulation, convolution, and field recordings. His approach finds inspiration in both inner reflection and the surrounding world — evident in how the album balances serene motifs with darker undertones.

Since its release, Within the Influence has gathered over 20,000 streams within its first week — a significant milestone not just for Nakiso, but for experimental music coming out of Eswatini. It is a landmark release for Only Make Waves Music and a solid first step in establishing Nakiso’s musical identity on a global scale.

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Polarity by A8trip the Poet and Sir Rizio

Meanwhile, Selville Records added its own layer to the week’s energy with the release of Polarity — a collaborative Ep between A8trip the Poet and Sir Rizio. The piece is a poetic-dub fusion that merges spoken word with rich, immersive dub textures.

This is more than just an Ep; it’s a genre conversation, one that reflects a willingness from the creators to blend, experiment, and redefine how local sound interacts with global genres. Selville continues to position itself as a label pushing the conceptual boundaries of local music.

Support artists: Spotify

Bushfire Festival First Wave Announced

Anticipation for Bushfire Festival 2025 has officially begun. The first wave of artists has been announced, featuring acts from South Africa, Mozambique, and beyond — including Boom Shaka, Aymos, and 340ML. The announcement has been well received, igniting social platforms and music circles with excitement.

For local artists, Bushfire is more than a performance stage — it is a networking engine, a platform for exposure, and a point of cultural pride. This year’s event promises to spotlight a growing crop of local talent ready to rise to the occasion.

Looking Ahead: Nocktik’s Upcoming EP

Another key announcement during the Only Make Waves radio feature was the upcoming release of an EP by Nocktik — another founding member of the collective and a producer known for his sculptural approach to sound design.

Nocktik’s work leans into modular synthesis, ambient layering, and experimental rhythms. His debut EP is expected to follow in the footsteps of Within the Influence, yet carve its own sonic territory. With Nocktik’s release imminent, Only Make Waves Music is steadily building an ecosystem of intentional, narrative-driven sound.

Conclusion: A Cultural Shift in Real Time

What we are witnessing in Eswatini is not a moment — it’s a movement. With platforms like Only Make Waves investing in long-term artistic development, labels like Selville embracing conceptual music, and festivals like Bushfire setting the stage for continental recognition, the creative momentum is growing.

These developments are not isolated events but interconnected expressions of a changing cultural landscape. Artists are becoming storytellers. Labels are becoming incubators. Festivals are becoming amplifiers.

Eswatini is not just reacting to global creative trends — it is beginning to shape its own.