Sónar

21/05/2024SonarMix 043: Blck Mamba - Vibes, percussion, and energy

“Basically it’s just vibes,” says Blck Mamba, when asked about SonarMix 043. Through her Mo Mamba party series and Club Mamba radio show on Rinse.FM, the Brussels-based artist explores the ever-evolving list of genres, regional mutations, and hyperlocal variants that make up modern black club music. Here, she moves between “light, funky, suave, and sweaty vibes”, as a preview for her set at Sónar by Day on Saturday 15th June.

The central theme is percussion: from Lisbon’s new wave of kuduro and batida (DJ Maboku and DJ Bboy), to UK funky and amapiano edits (Sorensen and Tribal Brothers), through to afro house (Freak De L’Afrique and Mxshi Mo). Over the final 15 minutes, she increases the intensity: there’s a steel-toed ‘stepper by Dayzero, latin-flavoured bass music from Slack 1ne, and samba-tinged grime courtesy of Spooky Bizzle (remixed by Samename). The ideal soundtrack for getting ready to go out on a warm spring night, “a good workout” or a “run in the sun”, as she advises over email.

If it sounds like the perfect warm-up for Sónar by Day, then that’s because it is: “I’m so ready for summer that this mix ended up having an early daytime festival vibe,” she admits. With just three weeks to go, what better way to start preparing for an “energetic set full of fresh percussive club music” at SonarPark by DICE.