Sisso + Maiko

The duo Sisso & Maiko captures the jerky, breakneck energy of singeli, a whirlwind of ideas and influences. 

The figurehead of Dar Es Salaam's legendary SISSO RECORDS studio, Mohamed Hamza Ally (aka Sisso) is one of the local scene's most recognizable icons. His groundbreaking productions and tireless engineering work has helped drive the singeli sound far outside the borders of Tanzania. Maiko grew up in the Morogoro region in Eastern Tanzania, where he picked up countless local awards for his skills; he relocated to Dar Es Salaam to build his reputation and further his career, and inevitably collided with Sisso.

Sisso & Maiko's productions epitomize the sound of singeli, distilling the vitality and struggle of life of the fringes into music which seems to reflect the idea of keeping a cool head in frenetic situations. Born in the sprawling working class neighborhoods of Tandale and Manzese, Singeli’s signature sound consists of fast paced frantic loops interlocking with each other, with influences from Zanzibar's Tarab music all the way to South African afro-house coupled with mc’s who often spit satirical lyrics about the challenges facing Tanzania’s youth, from police corruption to the complications of dating girls when you are broke. 

If there is one studio it is SISSO RECORDS, where Sisso and other producers were early pioneers of the sound. At this year's Oslo World, Sisso & Maiko will demonstrate that they are still in the vanguard of Singeli – and exploratory club music worldwide.