【コラム】 Nyege Nyege: アフリカの音楽革命を牽引するウガンダ発の音楽集団

Column en African History Tribal

04 Oct 2025

【コラム】 Nyege Nyege: アフリカの音楽革命を牽引するウガンダ発の音楽集団

What is “Nyege Nyege”?

Text: mmr｜Theme: About an important music group that disseminates “outsider music” that fuses traditional African music and modern electronic music to the world

“Nyege Nyege” is a music group based in Kampala, Uganda, and is known as a pioneer in disseminating Africa’s underground music scene to the world.Its name means “an irresistible urge to dance” in Luganda, and it conveys a powerful message that brings people together through music and dance.

Foundation and Background
Introduction of album and project
Singeli
Acolitronix
Electro Maloya
Anecdotes and legends
Cultural significance of Nyege Nyege as a whole
Current activities and prospects
Recommended YouTube Link
Summary

Foundation and background

Nyege Nyege was founded in Kampala in 2013 by American Arlen Dirsigian and Belgian Derek Debre.They revitalized the music scene with local DJs and percussionists through an event called “Boutiq Electroniq.”After that, in 2016, he launched a record label called “Nyege Nyege Tapes” and continues to disseminate a new music style that fuses traditional African music and electronic music.

Introducing albums and projects

Below, we will introduce representative albums and projects released by Nyege Nyege Tapes by year.

Year	Artist/Album	Features	Links
2016	Disco Vumbi - Boutiq Electroniq	Electronic dance music that combines Chakacha and Benga	Amazon
2017	Otim Alpha - Gulu City Anthems	Reconstructing the traditional Rarakaraka wedding song of northern Uganda with electronic music	Amazon
2018	Bamba Pana - Poaa	Expressing Tanzanian Singeli music with a high-speed beat of over 200 BPM	Amazon
2019	Jay Mitta - Tatizo Pesa	An evolution of Singeli, with a tempo of 180-190BPM and rich percussion	Amazon
2023	Rian Treanor & Ocen James - Saccades	A fusion of the traditional rigiri fiddle of the Akori people and electronic music	Amazon

Music styles and influences

Nyege Nyege Tapes’ music has been hailed as “outsider music” that combines traditional music from various parts of Africa with modern electronic music.Of particular note are the following musical styles:

Singeli

Shingeli is a fast beat dance music that originated in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Musical features

Features	Details
BPM	Over 180-220, super fast for clubs
Rhythm	Continuous drum beat in 4/4 time, simple bass
Melody	Mainly minimal loops, occasional synths and samples
Vocals	High-speed rap and chants led by female MCs
Song structure	Emphasis on improvisation, changes at DJ/MC discretion

History/Development

flowchart TD A["Early 2000s: Dar es Salaam slums"] --> B["Improvisational performance centered on female MCs"] B --> C["Spread by street party"] C --> D["Urban culture symbolization/gender equality expression"] D --> E["Nyege Nyege Tapes attract international attention"] E --> F["Performed at clubs and festivals around the world"]

Cultural significance

Self-expression of youth culture
symbol of gender equality
Bringing African music to the forefront through international dissemination

Connection with dance

Singeli is not only about music, but also integrated with the dance experience.
Complex footwork to match the high-speed beat
Improvisation through collaboration with the audience
Important community building at festivals and clubs

flowchart LR Music["Fast Beat + Rap"] --> Dance["Dance Performance"] Dance --> Community["Youth culture/solidarity formation"] Community --> Festivals["Nyege Nyege Festival etc."]

Shingeli (Summary)

Shingeli is an urban dance music that features ultra-fast beats and improvised performances by female MCs. More than just a music genre, it is at the forefront of the African music scene, playing an important role in cultural expression, social identity, and international exchange.

Acholitronix

Akolitronics is a style that recreates Rarakaraka, the traditional music of the Akori people in northern Uganda, using electronic music.

Musical features

Features	Details
BPM	120-160BPM, respecting traditional rhythm
Rhythm	Percussion-based polyrhythm, looped
Melody	String instruments and chorus reproduced with synth
Vocal	Traditional singing sampling + rap/chant fusion
Song structure	Maintaining improvisation, intro/build/break for clubs
Sound	Extend texture with analog synth effects

History/Development

flowchart TD A["Tradition: Rarakaraka festival music"] --> B["Performed at village festivals and weddings"] B --> C["Electronic music fusion in urban areas"] C --> D["Featured in Nyege Nyege Tapes"] D --> E["Impromptu performance at clubs and festivals"] E --> F["International attention and collaboration"]

Cultural significance

Modernization and preservation of traditional music
Bridging urban and local culture
Promoting African music on the international stage

Performance and dance

Integration with improvisational dance: In the Rarakaraka tradition, dance is integrated with music, and this improvisational nature is inherited in Acolitronics.
Expression at festivals: Nyege At the Nyege Festival, it is common for the audience to dance freely to electronic Akori music.

flowchart LR Music["Larakaraka + Electronic Music"] --> Dance["Improvisational Dance"] Dance --> Community["Culture/Community Formation"] Community --> Festivals["Nyege Nyege Festival etc."]

Acolitronics (Summary)

Acolitronics is an urban music that combines traditional music and electronic music, and is simultaneously responsible for cultural preservation, urban culture expression, and international dissemination. Introduced to the world through Nyege Nyege Tapes, it has attracted attention as an innovative expression of northern African culture.

Electro Maloya

Electro Maloya is an experimental style that recreates the traditional music of Réunion Island, Maloya, using electronic music.

Musical features

Features	Details
BPM	100-140BPM, traditional Maloya slow rhythm
Rhythm	Looping percussion polyrhythm
Melody	Synth reconstruction of traditional melody and chorus
Vocal	Mainly chorus, sampling + reverb
Song structure	Traditional foundation + club build/break/drop
Sound	Expand space with analog synth loop effects

History/Development

flowchart TD A["Tradition: Maloya Music"] --> B["Expressions of life and labor through slave and immigrant culture"] B --> C["20th century: Tradition under restrictions"] C --> D["2000s: Electronic music fusion begins"] D --> E["Performed at clubs and festivals and received international attention"] E --> F["Contemporary: Spreading across the global electronic music community"]

Cultural significance

Reinterpretation of historical and cultural traditions
Globalization of regionally limited music through international dissemination
New experimental expression of traditional music

These styles play an important role in how Nyege Nyege Tapes reinterprets Africa’s musical heritage with a modern perspective and shares it with the world.

Performance and Experience

A fusion of tradition and modernity: A live performance where traditional percussion instruments and electronic music coexist.
Linked with dance: You can improvise dance according to the polyrhythm while using a relaxed BPM.
Festival experience: A production that allows audiences to experience the fusion of tradition and modernity.

flowchart LR Music["Maloya + Electronic Music"] --> Dance["Improvisational Dance"] Dance --> Community["Culture/Community Formation"] Community --> Festivals["Expression at clubs and festivals"]

Electro Maloya (Summary)

Electro Maloya is an experimental genre that reconstructs traditional Maloya music with electronic music. It is attracting worldwide attention as a music style that simultaneously carries on the inheritance of history, reinterprets culture, integrates with city club culture, and communicates internationally.

Nyege Cultural significance of Nyege as a whole

Bridging traditional music and electronic music from all over Africa
Fusion of urban and local culture
Youth culture self-expression and community building
Attention to African music worldwide through international dissemination

Anecdotes and legends

Nyege Nyege Festival is Africa’s largest electronic music festival, held every year in Jinja, Uganda, and has been held since 2015.The festival is attracting attention as a place to introduce Africa’s underground music scene to the world and to show support for the LGBTQ+ community.However, it faced criticism from conservative religious groups, and in 2018 the Minister of Ethics attempted to cancel the event, but it was continued with the support of the Minister of the Interior.Today, it has become a major event that attracts over 60,000 visitors.

Current activities and prospects

Nyege Nyege continues to lead the African music scene through his record label Nyege Nyege Tapes and sub-label Hakuna Kulala.In particular, “Hakuna Kulala” revolves around abstract and experimental club music, and is attracting attention from music fans around the world.We are also building a global music network through artist residencies and international collaborations.

Summary

Nyege Nyege is an important music group that disseminates “outsider music” that fuses traditional African music and modern electronic music to the world.The label Nyege Nyege Tapes is at the forefront of promoting the fusion of traditional African music and electronic music, including Shingeli, Akolitronics, Electro Maloya, etc. We have established a unique position in the world music scene by simultaneously preserving local culture, expressing urban and youth culture, and disseminating it internationally.Their activities remind us of the importance of not only music, but also cultural diversity and social inclusion.We will continue to keep an eye on their music and activities.

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