Mr U P D (DIRECT 2025)

Malusi’s studio was a small, soundproofed corner of a high-rise apartment. On his desk sat a pair of worn headphones and a laptop that had seen better days, filled with folders labeled simply: Experiments . While the city outside danced to the high-energy "log drum" of mainstream amapiano, Malusi was chasing something else. He wanted the music to breathe. He wanted it to feel like the cool air that hits you after leaving a crowded club at 4:00 AM.

Two days later, his phone wouldn't stop buzzing. A legendary DJ had played the track as the sun rose over a festival in Pretoria. The crowd, exhausted from a night of dancing, hadn't stopped; they had closed their eyes and swayed, caught in the soul of the "U P D" sound. Mr U P D

You can experience the atmospheric sound of Mr U P D's real-world remixes in this soulful deep house set: Malusi’s studio was a small, soundproofed corner of