Where Did That Kick Go? An Introduction to 3Step
Explore the rise, story, and sound of 3Step — South Africa’s latest and delightfully danceable interpretation of House music.
In the early hours of the morning in the fall of 2022 on the infamous Waterfloor of Watergate, a RISE party was in full swing, London’s Afro House Ambassadors Kitty Amor and Sef Kombo were wrapping up an electric B2B that had the dance floor in a chokehold. JAMIIE and I were up next, anxiously waiting to get on the decks and exchanging ideas on what to open with to keep the pace going. In the midst of our discussions, “Magnificent Dance” dropped and all the tension in the room erupted in sweaty joyful abandon. I remember feeling a sense of awe at what I was hearing, and completely forgetting what we were supposed to play. It was Afro House, but it was something more- more kinetic and more rooted in the hips. I ran over to Sef Kombo and asked him what this was; with a huge smile on his face, he looked over at me and said, “It’s 3Step.”
Kick the Kick to the Curb
3Step is defined by its rhythm: three kicks in a 4/4 measure. This disruption creates space for experimentation and play, resulting in a free-flowing, jazz-like approach to arrangement. Unlike traditional House music that sticks to more established structures, 3Step thrives on surprise and curiosity, using shuffling shakers, spontaneous snare rolls, log drums and many layers of percussion to create a hypnotic, trance-inducing atmosphere. In an age of quantized, rigid rhythms, it’s a sound that feels alive, as if multiple musicians are in the room, each adding their voice to the mix.
A Bridge Between Genres
Sonically, 3Step sits at the intersection of Amapiano, Afro House, Afro Tech, and *Deep House. It pulls the deep basslines and log drums from Amapiano and Deep House, fuses them with the atmospheric chords of Afro House, and adds elements of Afro Tech’s high energy, driving synths. The result is a sound that satisfies the desires of purists from each of those genres while creating something totally new.
South African DJ/producer Thakzin — a recent inductee to the Beatport Next Class of 2025 — emphasizes that this new sound wasn’t born from a desire to create something revolutionary but rather as a structure that allowed him to explore different styles and sounds freely.
His philosophy reflects the sound’s ethos: building bridges between genres and uniting fans of diverse musical backgrounds. His exploration is spiritual, drawing on the drumming traditions of South Africa’s Sangoma healers, where rhythm and drums have been used to induce states of trance and heal the body and the spirit. “I don’t like being boxed in. I’m like a Sangoma of music,” Thakzin said, “I want to heal people through music, and that’s my purpose.”
- *Deep House (or Deep Lite) in South Africa differs from Deep House in the West, mainly characterized by a 115-120 BPM range and use of the log drum. The widespread use of the log drum in South African electronic genres is due to its presence as a stock sound in the most popular digital audio workstation in the country, FL Studio.
“Horns in the Sun” and “Yes God” are examples of 3Step’s jazz-forward approach, where unconventional arrangements and bold instrumentation merge to create a fascinating listening experience, transcending electronic music that is typically just consumed in clubs. “Mama Thula” has become the anthem of the South African Rugby team, and “iPlan” has one of the most recognizable melodies produced in the past few years, demonstrating the radio-friendly appeal of this new sound.
Dlala Thukzin’s interpretation of 3Step, with the exception of “iPlan,” leans more toward his Gqom background. While Charisse C’s take incorporates her wide range of influences ranging from indie pop to RnB, Atmos Blaq and Kwamzy focus primarily on percussion and their signature swung sound demonstrates how simplicity can be complex and beautiful. Meanwhile, Peekay Mzee’s Afro Tech background shows in his use of room filling aggressive synths.
3Step is, in a lot of ways, antithetical to dance music. The drops are surprises, and the release comes several bars afterward; as all the drum elements come back together, the sound is rooted in the experience of dance and spontaneity.
“The combination of all the sounds gives the impression of a jam session,” Thakzin says. “It’s like there’s more than one person in the room.” This fluidity and collaborative energy are part of what makes 3Step so compelling — it invites listeners along a sonic journey.
Magnificent Beginnings
The genre’s breakthrough moment came in December 2022 with the release of Thakzin’s “Magnificent Dance” on Sondela Records. The song quickly went viral, receiving early support from international heavyweights like Louie Vega, Manoo, Keinemusik, Rocco Rodamaal, and Pete Tong.
Shortly thereafter, Atmos Blaq released “Kwa Mama” in April 2023 on Stay True Sounds, a more brooding, dance-floor-friendly take on 3Step that saw wide support from Black Coffee, Shimza, and Desiree. The sound piqued the interest of tastemakers in the Afro world and Thakzin’s follow-up single, “Possessed,” released on Shimza’s Kunye imprint, cemented it as a fresh new take on electronic music while simultaneously establishing Thakzin as the leader of this new wave.
Fast forward to the fall of 2023, South Africa’s rugby team are crowned world champions and Thakzin’s co-produced single with Suffocate SA and Grammy Award-winning Zakes Bantwini “Mama Thula” drops the same weekend, and is played at viewing parties all over the country. Linking a euphoric moment in history to a beautiful track that would go on to earn global acclaim while winning Metro FM’s Best Dance Song award, proving that 3Step had arrived on the global stage.
As of January 2025, industry-leading Afro House producers such as Mpho.Wav, Black Motion, Shimza, and Heavy-K have all released projects with 3Step tracks or elements, demonstrating that this sound is the zeitgeist of 2025 and beyond.
A Cultural Revival
3Step is more than just a new subgenre; it’s a cultural statement. At a time when Afro House has begun to cater to European audiences, often losing touch with its African roots, 3Step serves as a reminder of where these sounds came from. Thakzin and other 3Step pioneers aim to honor African culture and their ancestors through their music, using it as a tool for healing and unity.
Afro House has become associated with bottle service culture and exclusive, high-end clubs. In contrast, 3Step centers the dance floor, bringing the focus back to the pure, unifying experience of dancing.
While Afro House continues to be flooded with '90s pop remixes, 3Step producers such as Peekay Mzee and DJ Nkabza are creating bootleg edits of classic Afro House and Amapiano songs. Peekay Mzee says this is done ”as a way of appreciating and giving respect to previous generations.” But the difference between the two approaches is that one references Western pop music while the other looks inward to its own rich history.
3Step has exploded amongst the black diaspora, Atmos Blaq explains, “London has a strong Amapiano culture, and this is one of the reasons why 3Step has been so warmly received there.”
Acts like Beatport Next alumni Charisse C, who through her Abantu event have popularized a multigenre approach in London, have found 3Step to be an inflection point between all these Afro electronic sounds. “The entire music ecosystem of a country is stronger if they all coexist,” she said. “Amapiano was a gateway for many Black audiences [In the UK] to reclaim their connection to dance music,” highlighting the role that accessibility plays in inclusion and expanding the audience for dance music as a whole.
The sound’s unprecedented rise in traditionally siloed genres of electronic music speaks to a fundamental and powerful truth about the music itself; that musicality and truth supersedes everything. As Thakzin notes, “The more we connect with our culture, the more honest the music will be.” This authenticity is at the heart of 3Step’s growing popularity.
The Future of 3Step
Since its inception, 3Step has been about pushing the envelope and creating something original. It’s a sound that is always seeking to evolve, as Mandla of Malumz on Deck explains, “The name of the game in South Africa is that it needs to be original, it needs to be creative. Let’s not kill it by allowing it to become monotonous.” He elaborates, “Although 3Step is a blend of 3 genres, it has a DNA all of its own”.
In an era of increasingly homogenized electronic music, 3Step is a breath of fresh air—an honest, soulful expression of Africa’s rich musical heritage.
In the words of Thakzin, “I make honest music,” and it’s this authenticity that is propelling 3Step into the hearts of dancers and music lovers worldwide.
