Lebo Lechela & Siyabulela Buhlungu aka Frigid Armadillo, is a South African idiosyncratic house music duo :: Pioneers of uncharted house music terrain. Frigid Armadillo features “Osanisiya”, El Mukuka new single out December 2023, Friday 15th with Mozambican Afro House label My Other Side of the Moon. Get to know them better with the first interview of Beats Of Africa Face to Face series.
Who and who inspired you to become a DJ?
It dates right back to the craze of virtual DJ and what was known then known as “Mega-mixing”. Local Pioneer, DJ Kent, was at the forefront of this. The bug caught up with us and hasn’t left since. We can say Rocco’s productions at the time were a marvel and inspiration grew there too.
Which kind of music did you listen when teenager?
Siya: I was definitely a house music boy in my teens. From Eric Prydz, Rocco, Axwell, Dennis Ferrer, Chris Lake, DJ Cleo, Deadmau5, Steve Angello. There’s are a ton of names missing but that was my staple diet.
Lebo: Oddly enough, mainly Hip-Hop (although my house DJ brother ensured that I know his entire music catalogue – sometimes against my will). I’d also find myself being really into punk rock and pop. Act like Linkin Park and Westlife would be sonic guilty pleasures when no one was looking.
And now?
Siya: I don’t consume as much music as a I did in my younger years. Always busy washing the ears in studio with our own material but it’s still house music only a bit more local.Lebo: Much the same. I am a bit more rigid with what I listen to these days (mainly Afro House), but I do go on the rare trip down guilty pleasure-ville for inspiration or new ideas
Which platform do you use to listen to music?
Spotify and YouTube most of the time.
Why Africa is becoming so important in the electronic music scene?
Siya: It’s always been. The internet has just allowed for a massive telescopic lens to be pointed at us. There’s as much talent as there is plutonium on earth. And there’s a lot of that.
Lebo: Kwaito and Gqom also featured a plethora of electronic elements, but I think the mass adoption of the internet has now sonically introduced South Africa to the world. We’ve always had it, now we get to showcase it.
Your favourite djs and producers.
There will be a few names missing but Keinemusik, FKA Mash, Thakzin, Sun-El Musician, Mpho.Wav, Kenza, Massh, Chronical Deep, Da Capo, Caiiro.
Your favourite clubs and festivals.
By virtue of us both identifying it as our best gigs to date, it would have to be Wolfkop based just outside of Cape Town.
The most important record in your box?
It was Roam In a Day but there’s about three unreleased records that we are liking at the moment.
Your all time favourite track?
Kanye West – Goodlife is quite special
How to send you promos?
Music@frigidarmadillo.com
Your favourites food / actor / football team / tv series
Lebo – Food: Fast food, probably pizza. Hearty food, definitely a good lamb curry with garlic naan. TV Series: Neither of us are avid TV watchers, but personally I last enjoyed Breaking Bad.
Siya – Actor: Leonardo Di Caprio and Jamie Foxx. Football Team: I can’t change teams now at this point of my life so it’s Manchester United. They haven’t been doing well for a decade but got to stick through the muddy times.
Your hobbies?
Siya: when there’s no 9-5 or music, it’s just relaxing and being a family man. Coupled with watching sports and bingeing on Netflix series.
Lebo: Going down the randomest YouTube rabbit holes. Usually ending up watching something as random as men building pools in the jungle at 3am
Your upcoming projects and label ?
“Osanisiya”, which is upcoming on “My Other Side of The Moon”, is a record that’s melodic fusion from a quartet of artists (El-Mukuka, Y.Loh, Frigid Armadillo Feat. Mumba Yachi) that wanted create a something with aspects and hints of positivity. The world currently displays news of negativity and so we figured to create a song that will make the listeners feel tranquil and want to go out to enjoy themselves. Music is all about feelings and emotions after all.
Why did you select My Other Side of The Moon for your upcoming release?
Special records need special labels. We sought a label that employs a varied approach to music, the creation and distribution thereof. Having crafted a sound that veers from the norm, it would only make sense to have a label as diverse as we are.
Your life long dream?
Making music is definitely a place of solace for us. Playing music on stage is a close second. The dream would entail us being able to do those two things for as long as we are physically able to while being comfortable enough to substitute these 9-5s that keep the engine fuelled, for the energy we get on stage, which keeps us fuelled.
LINK : Instagram – Soundcloud – Spotify
