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Malagwane

by Valley Folk

/
1.
Window 00:43
2.
Cruising 03:16
3.
Descent 01:21
4.
Hitchhiker 04:06
5.
Lady 03:29
6.
Goat loop 01:11
7.
Window variation 3 02:03

about

Lets begin at the top, the start of the road that before becoming a dual carriage way won its self a spot in the Guinness book of work records as being the most dangerous stretch of road in the world on the account of the sheer amount of accidents. No doubt there would have to be tons of stories that go with this road, the people that travel it and the things that have happened on it, from the concerts that we have done I have heard a surprising amount of stories from bad generic jokes that use that Malagwane as a convenient stage to tales of an ‘accident’ being a plausible scape goat for influential people to perish at the hand of the mountain. More recently the conspiracies continue, but that is not what we made this for nor is this aiming to highlight them, they are just observations that lie beneath (and in-between) the tragically humorous headlines of the local rags.

Growing up there were jokes, references, second or third hand accounts of a ghost or a number of ghosts on this stretch of road. Both being enthusiasts of cinematic music and conceptual art it was a pleasure to make a series of tracks that follow the scenes of a film we both imagine could be made with this suspense and cinematic story telling that goes with the typical story of a ghost trying to get home, a journey of the protagonist whom driving alone (for an unknown reason) late in a misty night sees a hitchhiker in the inclement weather decides to stop and offer a lift to the unknown lady, all goes well and they begin driving away, descending the infamous hill making the usual small talk that hitchhikers make, it’s the typical series of events and usual ingredients for a thriller as the suspense builds to a climax or false one, when the lady vanishes, one minute she is there the next second she isn’t.
The suspense has moved to uncertainty, has the protagonist been dreaming, did this really occur, did he really stop and pick up a hitchhiker? All this is unknown. The film ends with the protagonist driving off with a head heavy of doubt and confusion in a light hearted manner that comes with realising that its all over, dream or real experience either way its over and life continues as before, whether the protagonist decides to or not.

I’ve heard more accounts of this ghost, the most widely share one is that she was a conductor on her lovers bus that met its fate on the infamous hill and now she tries to get back home, this is the general theme. But I have heard accounts of a whole bus appearing and disappearing, or another that the ghost isn’t a ghost but a lady working her trade of the night dressed in her eerie dress and cheap makeup that gives her the pale and haunting image that we generally associate with ghosts. There are dozens of stories on this stretch of road, tragic, comic and the saucy.

A lofi capturing of a concept ep, complete with hiss, buzz, chickens, studio banter and cellphone interference

credits

released November 6, 2018

Jabu 'Not here' Nortier - Guitars, Compositions and voice

Ralph Smit - Muted Trumpet, Additional composition, voice and bells

Engineer - Zakheleni 'Zakes' Kumalo

Produced by Ralph

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Rondavel Records Swaziland

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