An 11-piece traditional drum set and a DJ booth a few metres away have been set up on a mountain for Thabo Mabongwane and Bongani Mohosana. As the sun sets over the Three Rondavels in Mpumalanga, the duo, Black Motion, get ready to record a live performance overlooking the three mountain peaks.
The house music duo known for effortlessly blending kwaito rhythms, maskandi motifs and traditional drums are celebrating 10 years in the music industry. They've performed in Ibiza, Croatia, the UK and SA - but for them this performance is a "dream come true".
The location also serves as an opportunity to showcase the beauty of their country.
"Ever since we started as Black Motion our biggest dream, especially when playing new music, has been to play music on a mountain with a beautiful background. Whenever we travel people tell us how beautiful their country is, about places we've never been to. We wanted to show the rest of the world that we also have beautiful places where we can play our beautiful music," Mabongwane says.
The mountain also has a deeper meaning for them. Their music is sometimes referred to as "music of the mountains" or "music of the ancestors". They've been on a spiritual journey together, which started a decade ago when their paths crossed in Soshanguve, outside Pretoria, where they're both from.
The drums are an integral part of their music and their culture. Their first album, Talking to the Drums, signified the first initiation of becoming a traditional healer. Their second, Aquarian Drums, was the next step in that process. Then came Fortune Teller, where the initiate shares the lessons learnt in the previous step. Ya Badimo, the next offering, was about giving thanks, followed by Moya Ya Taola, which references the spirit of the bones.
Their latest album, to be released this month, follows this narrative. It's titled The Healers: The Last Chapter.
Before their performance Mohosana, who admits to being nervous and excited, jokes about how Mabongwane comes up with the names for the albums: "I just follow him."
Mabongwane, nicknamed Smol, plays percussion and has been collecting drums from across Africa for years. Mohosana, nicknamed DJ Murdah Bongz, lays the beats on the DJ decks.
The new album's title had people thinking the group were splitting up, but that isn't the case.
"For us this past decade has been like a book. Each album represents a chapter: a chapter of learning. In our case we were learning music and we were learning our tradition. We are Pedi - we learnt some things about our culture we didn't know existed. We had to put that in the music.
"Each album released represented a chapter, to say that we are finally confident with the music - we've closed the chapter of trying to make people understand what we offer in terms of music. 'Last Chapter' refers to the last part of this book of 10 years. We'll go onto a new 'book' now," says Mabongwane.
As the director shouts to the crew that the cameras are about to start rolling, Black Motion take their positions. It's been five months since they've performed for a live audience. The combination of nerves and lockdown rust begin to show.
The sun has set and chants echo over the mountain as the show begins. Behind the percussion set Mabongwane's eyes are closed as he plays. Mohosana comes out from his booth and dances. It's evident from the bobbing heads that they're slowly getting rid of the rust. Everyone on the mountain is captivated.
It begins to rain almost on cue as the song Pray for Rain begins. It's as if each drop of rain fuels and intensifies the performance - there's no distinction between sweat dripping from their foreheads and the cool rain.
It's still a Black Motion performance with all the toe-tapping, head-bopping, sprain-inducing dance moves their music elicits.
Mohosana later says that in 10 years of performing they've never rehearsed for a show. Everything they do is spontaneous.
After a three-hour set, the duo, crew and entourage are ready to celebrate.
For Mohosana the moment was "breathtaking". He's at a loss for words. What he is certain about is their new album, which he believes is their best because they took time to craft it. With international borders closed and gigs cancelled, they had more time to work on it.
If you want to make a great album, give yourself time ... If you don't take time you won't get the right results. We've learnt that from this pandemic
— Bongani Mohosana
"When you're busy doing shows while at the same time working on an album you get influenced by others. When you come back to the studio you create something different from your original idea and you can end up losing track.
"With this album we learnt a lot. If you want to make a great album, give yourself time. It takes three months to work on a body of work, without ups and downs. If you don't take time you won't get the right results. We've learnt that from this pandemic," says Mohosana.
After listening to snippets of the latest album, it's evident that they've stayed true to their unique sound. The 27-track album features Msaki, Brenden Praise, Samthing Soweto and Amapiano king Kabza de Small.
Mabongwane says finding their identity and staying true to the Black Motion sound has been a decade-long journey which they finally feel they've mastered.
With the smell of dagga filling the air, it becomes apparent that the duo, together with their entourage, are ready to de-stress after five months of lockdown.
Fears of Covid-19 fade into the moonlight, as do masks and social-distancing protocols.
What's left under the Mpumalanga stars are revellers ready to indulge.
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