On Soul Awakening, multifaceted South African DJ LeSoul effortlessly caters for the radio waves, dance floors and spaces in between. Infusing chants, rhythms and percussion from across the continent, the album taps into different moods by incorporating both organic and electronic elements. These broad sounds provide a foundation for unique sonic explorations anchored by the vocal contributions of Garde, Nkosazana Daughter, Idd Aziz, Stilo Magolide, Mnqobi Yazo, Azana, Mthunzi and Simmy. While opener “Impepho” and the reworked “Sebenza” acknowledge the DJ’s African spirituality, the soulful feel of “Spirits” and “Wena” flows into the Afro-tech of “Turmoil” and pulsing gqom of “Vikings” before the jazzy reprisal that is “Angelina”. This musical variety—and LeSoul’s ability to sync with production collaborators like Lemon & Herb, Da Capo and Thackzin—brings a palpable depth to this project.