The Ascension Duo Unwrap Their Journey. Comprising Zimbabwe-born, UK-raised DJ and producer Charisse C, and South Africa-born, US-raised interdisciplinary artist and vocalist Koek Sista, The Ascension have introduced themselves with the single released via independent imprint Don’t Sleep.
It was during lockdown that producer and DJ Charisse had been approached by Boiler Room to record a set for when the restrictions were lifted. “Charisse called me and told me about a dream that she had about her sets going forward,” remembers Koek Sista, a vocalist and interdisciplinary artist herself. “Visions of performing with a vocalist, but not necessarily in a PA kind of way that we’re used to with house music. More somebody who would move with the production and the melodies of the music.”
On the record, the amapiano and gqom sounds of their home country – both South African off-shoot genres of house – are taken to fresh frontiers, Koek Sista’s mesmerising vocal weaving through Charisse’s hypnotic production. Despite their obvious mastery of the craft, both artists make a point of shouting out their peers during our conversation, people who’ve built the genres alongside themselves. “I think it’s important to work with and introduce artists that otherwise wouldn’t be recognised,” says Charisse.
Charisse C: We had certain songs that became staples in the set, and the kind of melodies that Koek Sista was creating around those songs became things that we were known for. There was a conversation where we said it would be nice if something within this thing was ours. Because the material – apart from Koek Sista’s own music in the opening of the sets – was pretty much entirely other people’s music.
Koek Sista: Not really. When we came together to perform, we were making live bootlegs of songs, if I could put it that way – like, live remixes. When we started getting traction a couple of months after that first performance we were like, ‘OK, well, maybe we should try and make music and see how that goes.’
