BLK JKS

BLK JKS (that would be "black jacks") is a band from South Africa that takes an indie rock approach to the region's traditional melodies and polyrhythmic beats. They made quite a splash when they first came out in the '00s and got the attention of some major western artists, including Dave Grohl and Mars Volta. Their sound was decisively more rock oriented at the time, with some prog rock elements. Then they went into a long hiatus as each member went their own way for a while. When they finally released their second album in 2020, their music was more measured and sophisticated, arguably richer in texture and melody, and more daring in their arrangements. They incorporate traditional South African music more prominently in their work now, as well as jazz and post-rock drones. As the band drifted towards Afrobeat and highlife, they also began to back off of prog to some extent. Nevertheless, BLK JKS is a talented and passionate band back to producing fascinating work, despite the delay