CHIHIRO (Spirited Away): OutFlux Charts a Sophisticated Journey Through Afro House
Drawing on Miyazaki's animated masterpiece as its conceptual anchor, OutFlux delivers with CHIHIRO (Spirited Away) a chart that reads as an initiatory voyage through the richest territories of contemporary Afro House. Eleven tracks spanning 118 to 124 BPM trace a dramatically coherent tension curve, prioritizing melodic depth over easy euphoria.
The journey opens with CHIHIRO (Extended), a co-production between Mikalyn and OutFlux himself on High Paradise, establishing the tone immediately in E Minor: organic percussion, ethereal vocal layers and a production that engages with sub-Saharan roots without falling into superficial folkloric pastiche. Close behind, the afro-pop groove machine of One Night sees Hugel extract the best from a Max B and French Montana interpolation, proving Afro House can metabolize hip-hop without losing its identity.
Standout Tracks
- Be The One (Extended) – Adam Port, Keinemusik & SG Lewis: the chart's most harmonically ambitious piece. Keinemusik's production slides Melodic House into afro territory with an elegance reminiscent of their most celebrated releases on their own imprint, while SG Lewis adds a refined pop vocal texture that elevates the cut above the rest.
- Running Up That Hill (Extended) – Matt Sawyer & THEMBA (SA): the reinterpretation of Kate Bush's classic through an Afro House lens is, simply put, bold. THEMBA delivers one of his most accomplished rereads, transforming post-punk epic into floor ritual with overflowing percussion and a melody that retains every ounce of its original emotional weight.
- The SUN of Zimbabwe (Instrumental Mix) – OutFlux & Bone Brotherz: the chart's natural closing statement and a manifesto of the curator's identity. In C Minor at 121 BPM, it breathes with genuine geographical authenticity and closes the cycle begun with CHIHIRO.
The short-form edits — Promiscuous (Afro Edit) by Lukas & Frank and Stayin' Alive (Afro Disco Mix) by Richard Grey, Lissat and Kamafro — function as palate cleansers: concise, effective cuts that nod to Afro Disco without disrupting the narrative flow. Forest by Ajna (BE) provides the most introspective moment, with six minutes of atmospheric expansion in G Minor on Magnifik Music. A chart built with solid curatorial judgement and a clear vocation for lasting impact.
