Lazarusman confronts colourism on his album ‘Skin

Lazarusman built one of the most pointed songs on ‘Skin’ around a memory he has carried for years. ‘Soft Serve’ addresses colourism affecting lighter-skinned Venda girls, a theme he traces to childhood teasing over how dark his complexion was. The track is credited to Lazarusman and Zito Mowa and sits fourth on an album credited jointly to Lazarusman, Stimming and Modise Sekgothe.

‘Skin’ is out now on Moodfamily, drawing on jazz phrasing, breakbeat energy, Afro house swing and deep house foundations; the songs read as personal reflection as much as observation on the wider world. Boogie Vice is credited on three of the album’s tracks, while FKA Mash and the Johannes Brecht Trio each appear on one more. Lazarusman frames the album as an accounting of more than a decade spent working alongside other producers and vocalists across the scene, distilled into one body of work.

Moodfamily has also released music from Omeria, Joppe Tanghe and Madota.