Thakzin And Tete Turn A Language Of Friendship Into New Single ‘Maputla’
The second single from Thakzin’s forthcoming album COMMON GROUND transforms a nickname shared between longtime friends into an invitation to move, dance and lose yourself in the moment.
South African producer Thakzin reunites with longtime friend and collaborator Tete on ‘Maputla’, out Friday 30th October via Sondela. The track marks the second single from his forthcoming album COMMON GROUND, arriving Friday 13th November.
At the centre of the track is a word that carries a history of its own. “Maputla” is the name Thakzin and Tete use for one another; part nickname, part shared persona and a piece of language that has developed naturally through years of friendship. Between them, it has become a call to come through, get into the groove and dance: “You’re my Maputla.”
What began as something personal between the pair ultimately became the spirit of the record. There is an ease to ‘Maputla’ that reflects the familiarity behind it, capturing the feeling of going out, moving and losing yourself in a moment with someone who already understands your energy. Nothing needs to be over-explained because the connection is already there.
That relationship carries directly into the music, with Thakzin & Tete communicating through rhythm, instinct and movement. Rather than building the track around a wider concept, ‘Maputla’ draws its character from the chemistry between two friends and the shorthand that develops when people have known each other long enough to understand one another almost intuitively.
The single offers a more intimate perspective on the ideas running through COMMON GROUND. While previous single ‘Maphorisa’ brought an extensive cast of artists together for the largest collective recording of Thakzin’s career, ‘Maputla’ narrows the focus to the connection between two people. In doing so, it explores another kind of common ground; the names, jokes, gestures and rituals that may mean little to the outside world, but between friends can hold an entire history.
‘Maputla’ is friendship turned into sound; and an invitation to come through and dance.
Thakzin and Tete’s ‘Maputla’ is available from Friday 30th October via Sondela, ahead of COMMON GROUND on 13th November 2026.