We end up saying this pretty much every pass around the sun, but it ends up proving true every time: 2024’s been a big year for Austin music. Lots of project premieres and lots of studio recordings debuting on streaming. And that includes acts that have only popped up in the past couple months.
A top-tier example: Rojenka – the recent team up of Nairobi singer-songwriter Lin Njoroge and Austin writer-producer Geoff Bradford. Between Bradford’s diverse, multi-national musical upbringing and Njoroge’s intrinsic understanding of Afrobeat and Afrohouse, Rojenka’s been a welcome world music addition to the local landscape. And with a release rate of one single per month, Rojenka’s already demonstrated a respectable drive and a strong sonic brand.
Well, following up the soulful rock of September’s “Fairy Tales” and the steamy reggaeton of October’s “Thanks For Asking”, Rojenka just ripped into their penultimate tune of the year and most Afrobeat-evocative original to date. Sporting all of our favorite Afrobeat accoutrements (a hypnotic rhythm section, Fela Kuti-style sax, and humanity-hopeful lyrics) on top of an impassioned vocal performance and ample electric guitar to give it that Texas rock twist, “Dang Girlfriend” is an extremely diggable delight – one that has us hooked for whatever Rojenka has to offer moving forward.