South Africa is home for 21-year-old Yannick Iluga. A former member of the electronic group Popskarr, Iluga now records solo under the name Petite Noir. Noir refers to the heavy influence of post-punk and shoe-gaze music mixed into his chillwave sound. The deep and primitive roots of the blues are felt in his sorrowful words, “I’m never gonna see that girl again.” A loop of hanging, swirling snyth is repeated throughout the track and is combined with jittering African guitar lines and a jangling jungle-pop beat. These textures combine for an airy and mellow aura of melancholy, such a (perhaps) contradicting recipe certainly makes for an original sound. “Till We Ghosts” is a fitting title for a song that haunts with lyrics and glossy, atmospheric tones.
Iluga is part of the first generation to grow up in a post-apartheid South Africa. Only since the 1990s has his country been able to freely express themselves in whatever way they desire. As one can imagine, much of South Africa’s musicians have used this newfound freedom to express anti-apartheid messages and a demand for political justice. Petite Noir, however, takes a more escapist route by creating music of enchantment and personal expression.
This African darkwave track was released as a single on Bad Life records this past August, although word of a full album has yet to be published. Iluga is also in a creative gang called Capital of Cool that does cool things like run a blog which collects hot music and edgy fashion. Check it out.