On ‘Sibitsa sa mmino’, BCUC sing words that translate as “we want progress and to succeed / the purpose of music.” These lyrics sum up their rare ability to produce music with such a clearly defined sense of its own power and what it aims to achieve, mixing a punk attitude with gospel spirituality. Hailing from Soweto, BCUC has a mantra: music for the people, by the people, with the people. That outlook is reflected on their fifth album, ‘The Road Is Never Easy’. Their songs are purposeful with predominantly Zulu lyrics and a sprinkling of English, the words reflecting life in modern South Africa where thirty years on the hopes for the post-apartheid future have yet to be realised.
As the band’s full name of Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness suggests, they specialise in consciousness lyrics, recognising life’s struggles but also portraying an Africa that is rich in traditions, rituals and beliefs. Their music is rich in positivity, an energy captured in the one-take recordings at a Munich World War II bunker that had been converted into a recording studio. Minimal overdubs, mainly backing vocals, were added at Fourways Studio in Johannesburg. The seven-piece band has a rhythm-heavy emphasis with their instrumentation consisting of bass, congas, marching bass drums and whistles while the vocals bring together chants, raps and gospel.
The mood is established with ‘Higher Vibes’, its opening bassline recalling The Temptations’ ‘Ball of Confusion’, dub echo joining the fray to create a wonderful slice of Afro-psychedelia. There is a swagger to the rapped lyrics celebrating old school boom bap, raggamuffin and street songs while the gospel harmonies add to its spiritual impact. ‘Umdumakhanda’ has a constantly insistent rhythm and lyrics that capture the desire to live beyond basic subsistence and a desire for recognition (“I want to afford pizza with extra cheese / I want our name to be known at Ibiza.”)
While previous BCUC releases have primarily consisted of near 20-minute epics, ‘The Road Is Never Easy’ has much shorter songs with the seven-minute ‘Amakhamandela’ coming to closest to an extended groove. Over the most glorious bassline, whistles sound and they sing, “we will break free from these chains and shackles / we will overcome / … the government has been telling us about being free / but we don’t benefit from being free.” Backed by the energy of their music, the sentiments feel like a call to action rather than a self-pitying moan.
The Biggie Smalls-quoting ‘Magwala’ has dub echo and sees them repeating their mantra, bringing their rhythm to an accelerating peak before slowing it back down. It is a masterful show of building and releasing tension. They drive on to new frenzied rhythmic heights with ‘Afropsychedelic’ where the repetition of drumbeats and the title combine to exhilarating effect.
BCUC music is dependent upon great basslines and the one that runs through ‘Sebenzela’ is among the best. It underpins a heavy percussion artillery while rapid rapping and gospel cries overlap. The lyrics capture strife in Soweto making a plea that translates as “can someone talk sense to my people before we kill each other” and make the claim that “you carried me with the power of song.”
There is a minimalism to their musical set up, an emphasis upon rhythm and voice but BCUC make a virtue of those limitations, the similarities between the ten songs serving to heighten their mesmerising impact as a unified body of work. ‘Awuthule’, which has some especially soulful vocals, demonstrates the power of repetitive rhythms, the song becoming ever more engaging as it seeks calm, humility, strength, honour and abstinence. Closing track, ‘Matla a rona ke bophelo’ sees BCUC revisiting themes, the rhythms, raps and gospel vocals giving the conclusion a spiritual power.
In a world where tensions are rising to fever pitch, the gap between rich and poor is accelerating, and climate calamity appears to be edging ever nearer, it is difficult to make politically engaged music that inspires rather than depresses. With ‘The Road Is Never Easy’, BCUC have succeeded in making an album that radiates dignity and determination to overcome obstacles while most importantly of all making for an energising and uplifting listening experience.
BCUC: The Road Is Never Easy – Out 3 April 2026 (Outhere Records)
I was editor of the long-running fanzine, Plane Truth, and have subsequently written for a number of publications. While the zine was known for championing the most angular independent sounds, performing in recent years with a community samba percussion band helped to broaden my tastes so that in 2021 I am far more likely to be celebrating an eclectic mix of sounds and enthusing about Made Kuti, Anthony Joseph, Little Simz and the Soul Jazz Cuban compilations as well as Pom Poko and Richard Dawson.
