Another layered cut from the epic 35-track comeback album “The Return” finds ATK MusiQ and Muziqal Tone linking up with Civil Soul and Springle on “Ixesha.”
In Xhosa, “time” is “ixesha”. So even the title has a lot riding on it for a project based on six years of absence and comeback. ATK MusiQ don’t waste the concept — the tune flows with the kind of patience that only comes from artists who know precisely how long they made people wait.
Civil Soul gives a silky, soulful vocal to underpin the emotional side of the record. But Springle is the aspect that takes “Ixesha” into something more vibrant. His association with ATK MusiQ is a lengthy one – collaborations with Mellow, Sleazy and Sir Trill put both in the same creative circles for years. So the chemistry here is not fictional. You can hear it in the way the two voices naturally come together.
The contribution of Muziqal Tone’s production matters on this record as well. His Amapiano framework provides the track structure without sounding rigid. Because “Ixesha” needs space to breathe – and it gets that without losing momentum.
This cut is one of the more contemplative moments in “The Return.” But it never stops. And the arrangement still kicks when the mood settles down. That is Amapiano at its most deliberate and greatest – and ATK MusiQ executes it cleanly here.
Where does “Ixesha” sit in your “The Return” playlist? Comment below and let us know!
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