South African singer-songwriter, and producer Jst Sako releases his debut album, TUKA, a deeply personal and sonically rich project that fuses love, nostalgia, and cultural legacy into a singular, unforgettable listening experience.
TUKA, a term lifted from township slang meaning “back in the day,” but also “to burn” captures duality in its very name. It harks back to Daveyton, the historic township east of Johannesburg once nicknamed “Tuka” during apartheid, where it became the first Black township to receive electricity. The title is a nod to that moment of ignition, when darkness was first lit with possibility.
Just as Daveyton found light, Sako finds his own voice on this 14-track odyssey of Afro-fusion. Written over the course of several years, TUKA is deeply personal, capturing Sako’s evolution not only as an artist but as a man navigating love, heartbreak, longing, and renewal. Each track is a story told in melody. Whether it’s the soaring tenderness of “Thando,” or the raw vulnerability of “Where We Got It Wrong,” TUKA paints a complete emotional portrait.
The collaborators each bring their own depth to the project. Manu WorldStar brings his fiery energy to “Mlilo.” Gemma Griffiths adds haunting beauty to “Don’t Go.” Lolli Native rides the rhythmic waves of “Dali” with effortless grit. ReasonHD delivers poetic weight in “Ngimtholile.” KLY brings sensual finesse to “Phatha Kahle,” and Loki. closes the loop with soul-stirring urgency on “Buya.”
TUKA was recorded in multiple intimate settings, allowing for moments of real-time inspiration, not just technical precision. Sako’s voice flows between delicate falsettos and impassioned swells, carried by lush arrangements: layered synths, horns, strings, and pulsing percussion. The production is precise, but never sterile. It breathes. It weeps. It burns.
In a world increasingly defined by disconnection, Sako has created a body of work that reconnects to feeling, to culture, to the self. At its deepest core, TUKA asks one simple question: What do we truly have, if not love?
“TUKA” is now out and available on all major streaming platforms.
Stream/download it on your preferred music service: orcd.co/jstsakotuka
