Festival mixes are often too high-octane for home listening, but Zjoso (Zachariah Amos Kouyate) bucks that trend with his recording from this year’s Golden Plains Festival on Wadawurrung Country in Victoria.
Taking the second-to-last slot in the early morning, he delivered nearly two hours of music that made me wish I’d been there. From Soul II Soul’s “Back To Life” (Vocal Dub) to gripping Detroit techno, Chicago footwork, and the iconic “Kookaburra” by The Coober Pedy University Band, the set prances along in style, hitting all the right notes for living-room replay.
After hearing it, I knew I had to invite the Naarm/Melbourne native to contribute to TROVE.
By day, Zach is a graphic designer, a radio broadcaster on Skylab Radio, and the founder of Tribqu. Rooted in community, Tribqu honours underground music and culture — a space where emotions sparked by sound are put on a pedestal, and the search for more material in this vein is encouraged. Over time, it has built a loyal following, with fans tuning into the show on Skylab and packing out his regular club nights. Word is, Tribqu will soon evolve into a label, too.
On Friday, June 6, Tribqu will celebrate its 6th anniversary, hosting dub techno king Tikiman and Refuge Worldwide co-founder Richard Akingbehin performing a hybrid B2B together.
When I linked up with Zach, he was riding high off the back of that Golden Plains set and a dream-come-true moment supporting one of his heroes, DJ Spinna. Zach draws inspiration from his travels, including recent trips across Southeast Asia and West Africa and as well as from working with those around him, such as his mentor Zepherin Saint, on their new Tribqu Tribe collaboration. Still, his musical upbringing was more of a trail mix than a straight line, shaped by his mother and stepfather’s eclectic tastes: The Streets, Café Del Mar, Erykah Badu, and beyond.
Zach’s rise hasn’t been an overnight one, but through it all, his track choices have remained golden. Let’s investigate.
1. Swayzak & Benjamin Zephaniah | “Illegal”
I love this tune, and the intro is so futuristic. The beat has this nice, gritty sensibility to it. You can’t beat Benjamin’s vocals over the top of the music.
