Afro-house, and its many offshoots

Further north and in recent years, Nigerian producer Sarz lends his hand to pop-leaning house, while Adey Omotade makes stellar use of Yoruba chants and traditional shekere and bàtá drums on this year’s NIRI album. Containing various African percussives, with languages ranging from Toshi’s isiZulu to Idd Aziz’s Mijikenda, the Afro-prefix has been tacked on whenever folks felt the need to anchor the music toward home, but make no mistake — these sounds are designed purposeful and arranged imaginatively, for all moods and means, and is proudly African.