ATK MusiQ collaborates with Soulful G and SemiLanga on “Bawo,” one of the most talked-about tracks off their comeback double album, “The Return.”
“Bawo” in Xhosa means “Father”. So from the opening note, the track is filled with spiritual energy. But ATK MusiQ keeps it rooted in their private school Amapiano context rather than pushing it into full gospel territory. The balance is what makes the record function on a spiritual and aural level without losing either.
Soulful G is just the right fit for this kind of record. His vocal approach is somewhere between gospel warmth and current Amapiano vibe – which is just the register “Bawo” needs to land correctly. So he did not get here by accident. I think ATK MusiQ opted for him for the song because that’s the energy the song needed.
SemiLanga’s second voice layer gives the track its full feel. Together, the two voices have a harmony that feels shared rather than contrived. The record breathes as a whole rather than two individual features trading verses over a shared beat. And that cohesiveness is what got “Bawo” into early pre-release debates before the formal release of “The Return”.
ATK MusiQ also organized their double album with one disk leaning soulful and private school, the other leaning street and lively. Clearly, “Bawo” is on the soulful side. But it stands on its own without the comparison of the rowdier tracks around it.
“Bawo” is streaming now – is this a top five for you on “The Return”? Leave your list in the comments!
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