Mozambique’s young producer and remixer Sky White has been turning the heads of the world’s DJ elite with his emotive sounds since 2018, winning support from Afro house and melodic tech DJs alike, including Black Coffee, Tale Of Us, Themba, Ralf GUM, Da Capo and Enoo Napa, to name a few.
Having released singles and EPs on labels such as Afrocentric Records, Guettoz Muzik, My Other Side of the Moon and Xibalo, among others, 2023 sees the release of his brilliant debut artist album, “Crossing Borders”.
We caught up with him to find out more about his background and the album.
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Sky White’s Crossing Börders is also out on Beatport.
For our readers who haven’t heard about you, could you tell us a bit about your musical background?
I don’t have any musical training I am entirely self-taught, I have learned to produce through curiosity and trial and error, and have worked hard to learn new techniques over the years, I have been honing my craft.
You were very young when you first started producing, how did it all start out for you music-wise?
It all started as a challenge in which I used my laptop to play and make mixes through virtual DJ, and things began to move from there. One day a friend of mine suggested I should try production, so I started researching how to make an instrumental track by watching YouTube videos and the rest is history.
What or who were your early passions and influences?
My first musical passions were: Black Coffee, Da-Capo, and Stephan Bodzin.
How would you describe your sound and style?
I would describe my sound as Afro Futuristic with shades of Afro House and Afro Tech with plenty of melodic undertones.
You’re from Mozambique, how is the music scene there?
There is a thriving scene in Mozambique and the Afro House genre dominates the club scene and is continuing to grow.
What was your first single release?
My first single release was ‘The Future EP’, which features 4 tracks on Afrocentric Records in 2018.
You’ve just released your brilliant debut album, “Crossing Borders”, on Afrocentric Records, what can we expect to hear on the release?
Thank you! You can hear a lot of different house styles, all with a lot of emotion and feeling, I have tried to express myself on the album and not just stick to the Afro Tech sound. That is why I named it ‘Crossing Borders’, as I have tried to make an album without boundaries.
The album also features some collaborations, who else was involved in the project?
Some very talented artists were involved such as Da Cave Man & Tonicvolts, Vaipatria, Kastro músic, Kates Le Cafe (fellow Afrocentric Records stable mate) Ronnie Tanny, and Xtetiqsoul. Basically, super talented people I have met on my musical journey.
What’s the meaning behind the album title, ‘Crossing Borders’?
‘Crossing Borders’ aims to cross borders, to make a cultural fusion within the scope of the exchange I had with several artists from different countries and continents, that’s why I chose this name.
What’s your favourite track on the album and why?
My favourite track is ‘Children Of Today’ because it was the track that gave me the most recognition. It was released originally in late 2000 and is still being discovered and supported by A-list DJs today, which is nice.
What inspired the album?
The album actually came from an abstract idea of wanting to create something that was a little different, out of the ordinary I would say. A chance for me to put into practice all the skills and techniques I have learned in my musical journey until now. And I think I have achieved that with this album, I am very proud of it.
What’s your studio set up like and what’s your favourite piece of kit?
I run a complete in-the-box studio, it’s very basic in terms of outboard gear. I would say my favourite piece of equipment is my Akai Keyboard as that’s where most of the magic comes from. Simple but very effective.
What has been your best gig so far and where are you most looking forward to playing this year?
My best show so far was at the UR event in South Africa and I’m really looking forward to playing at Afrocentric Records party at this year’s ADE.
What else are you working on that you can tell us about?
I’m currently working on 2 new EPs and a second album, so it’s non-stop at the moment.
Thank you.
