Pretoria has proven to be the hub of “New Wave” artists in the landscape of Hip Hop. Acts like J Molley, Manu Worldstar and A-Reece are just a small part of many Pretoria based Hip Hop acts that have gradually gained stardom in the country’s capital city. With all the trappers and rap stars grinding to make a name in their city and the country, there are R&B and Soul singers like Tron Pyre, that have been easing themselves into the South African indie market.
Ndumiso Phiri, better known by his stage name Tron Pyre is a Pretoria based R&B and Soul artist who has been consistently releasing music on his SoundCloud. His first project Burgundy was released two years ago and featured now rising Pop star Una Rams. Tron Pyre has managed to gain a steady following over the past few years solely due to consistency and a matched quality of work.
Continuing that positive work ethic, he released his debut album titled Pangea. Pangea was the geographical structure of the continents, when they were all one super continent during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic era. Tron Pyre’s Pangea opens up with Redemption where he sings with an emotive falsetto, what really makes the intro is the dynamic production. What seems to really matter is the mood of the song and a lot less of what he is saying on the song. On Ecstasy he jumps straight into his emotive appeal as he speaks of how a lover makes him reach the feeling of Ecstasy, the topic is a very common one in the field of R&B but his honesty makes it sound genuine and real rather than recycled lyrical content.
On Nokia 002, he takes a trip down memory lane, “I remember spring with every touch and it feels like you” he sings the chorus. Love and romance is the driving theme behind Pangea as Tron Pyre manages to reason with feelings with every song on the album. Exciting times on the album avail themselves on the fourth track Sativa, as he talks about his indulgence of his lover who is his guilty pleasure. The metaphorical use of Sativa is one of the best writing moments on the debut album. With the upbeat but same time mellow production takes the lead as he layers it with his smooth vocals. The concept of the song is one that many can resonate with, where you start feeling addicted to an individual that is both good and bad for you, as he sings “you give me fever”.
Still remaining on the exciting moments on the album, Ego is probably by far the best song on this project. It is a no-holds-barred type of song. He let’s go and he just candidly sings, this is where you feel the elements of Soul on the album. Led by a subtle electric guitar, the vocals sound raw and that makes the song sound more candid than the rest. He lets the electric guitar take lead and every string is a heart piercing one. Singing about how she leaves his ego bruised but he still goes back to her and conceding that there is nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He affirms his position of vulnerability and not being able to get enough of her as he previously stated on Sativa. Along with Analogue and Solace this is really where he digs deep on the theme of the album.
The more you listen to Pangea, the more it seems like a body of work that is directed to a romantic situation. It sounds like an album where he is spending the most part of it consoling himself and consoling her of the inevitable end. “I wonder if they’ll come a time where, I probably forget what you mean to me, who you are to me, what I see in you, when we’re no longer we” he sings on the end of Solace (Still Sane).
The production of Pangea is really impressive and sits on a plateau few can match, Tron manages to make the most of it. His simple writing makes the album an easy but brilliant listen, The album has a cunning resemblance to AM Paradox by Brent Faiyaz. Overall, Pangea lands itself on the good to almost excellent category. With the title of the album an emphasis of being together, he conveys the concept thoroughly on the nine song album.
