SISSO & MAIKO (Tanzania)
Saturday, 01.11.2025
Bastard Bar
Doors: 23:00
Show: 23:30 – 03:00
Get ready for a sonic rush like no other.
Sisso & Maiko are not just producers—they’re the architects of a movement. Their music captures the raw urgency of life on the edges of Dar es Salaam, translating its chaos, resilience, and humor into a sound that feels like a high-speed ride through the city’s beating heart.
At the core of their craft lies Singeli: Tanzania’s homegrown electronic phenomenon. Picture loops spinning at breakneck speed, jagged rhythms locked into pitched-up melodies, and a restless energy that never lets up. It’s a sound that defies borders, recalling the ecstatic tempos of UK happy hardcore, the footwork frenzy of Chicago, the bounce of Caribbean Soca, and the dizzying spin of Shangaan disco—all while remaining unmistakably Dar es Salaam.
Born in the working-class neighborhoods of Tandale and Manzese, Singeli emerged from the DIY studios of the city’s outskirts. None looms larger than Sisso Records, the creative hub where the genre took root. Here, producers like Sisso, Maiko, Bwax, Bampa Pana, and Jay Mitta—alongside MCs such as Dogo Niga, Kadilida, Anti Vairas, and Makavelli—crafted the blueprint for a sound that speaks for Tanzania’s youth: fast, fearless, and unfiltered.
Their tracks are more than music; they’re cultural dispatches—satirical, subversive, and unrelentingly alive. From stories of police corruption to tales of love and hardship, the lyrics hit as hard as the beats, turning the struggles of daily life into moments of pure, euphoric release.
With their name synonymous with Singeli’s global rise, Sisso & Maiko are not just pushing boundaries—they’re redefining what the future of African electronic music sounds like.
