Culoe De Song Makes Crosstown Rebels Debut With ‘Moonhound’
- Undrtone Blog
- Aug 14
- 2 min read
South African house figure Culoe De Song makes his Crosstown Rebels debut with ‘Moonhound’, a new three track EP landing on 14th August.
The release brings his distinctive approach to African electronic music into the orbit of Damian Lazarus’ label, pairing organic percussion and atmospheric detail with stripped back, hypnotic grooves.
Opening with the title track, ‘Moonhound’ takes its time to develop. Brooding rhythms provide the foundation as organic textures, drifting details and soft synth lines gradually emerge around them. The arrangement remains deliberately restrained, creating movement through subtle changes rather than relying on dramatic peaks.
‘The Spiker’ brings a more immediate rhythmic pull. A punchy bassline drives the track forward while animalistic vocal calls and chants cut through crisp percussion. As it develops, the groove opens into panning melodic elements that give its closing section a lighter, more expansive feel.
French house mainstay Manoo then delivers two interpretations of ‘The Spiker’. His ‘Abstrakt Remix’ draws out the track’s hypnotic qualities, stretching its core ideas into a slow building rework designed to set the tone earlier in the night.
A digital only ‘Club Remix’ takes the opposite approach, bringing echoing synths and syncopated rhythms to the foreground for a more direct, heads down dancefloor version.
‘Moonhound’ marks another significant addition to a Culoe De Song catalogue stretching back to his breakthrough in 2008. Across more than 15 years, the South African artist has released through Innervisions, Mule Musiq and his own De Song Music while appearing alongside Black Coffee, Seth Troxler, Louie Vega, Carl Craig and Âme.
He also shares a longstanding connection with Crosstown Rebels founder Damian Lazarus, making his first release for the label feel like a natural next step after years of their paths crossing across the international house circuit.
