Gumba Fire: Bubblegum Soul & Synth-Boogie in 1980s South Africa

Documenting the heavily synthesized, incredibly upbeat dance music that flourished in South African townships during the oppressive late years of apartheid. The genre, dubbed 'Bubblegum', relies on cheap drum machines and brightly colored keyboards to create defiant, politically subversive party anthems hidden beneath infectious melodies. The release offers a crucial look at how joy and rhythm were weaponized against systemic oppression.