Van Pletzen – the terrific duo from Pretoria, or Snorstad, is back with not one but two new songs. And you are here because you like to read about awesome bands like Van Pletzen.
Leading with the single “Spoed” from their upcoming fifth album. “Pulsing with urgency and movement, the track captures the restless momentum of modern life — that feeling of always chasing the next moment while trying to stay present inside it,” says Peach van Pletzen, frontman for VAN PLETZEN.
The music video is also lekker for the song, but I think this song live is going to blow your brains out — if you have any left with that bassline that drops, my bru. It’s not just upbeat like “Beam Me Up, Scotty”. This is going to ruk die hond in jou, and you are going to party like it’s the old millennium. The music video was made by Regardt Visser from Hotdogfight!.
But we did mention two singles?
I did, and the second one to drop like pants at an orgy is Van Pletzen with SOSSI on “Maia-hee”. Oh, how it does ring ’n klokkie, because if you know your 90s music, you’ll recognise the Maia-hee (Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone, and then Nicholis Louw and Shine 4 with their version of “Maia-hee” that was a Stables banger). Ek raak van die pad af — THIS version of “Maia-hee” is so sexy with the added vocals of SOSSI. Who is SOSSI? Good question, but she is better known as Augusta Zietsman. And her album “Blok & Bless” was produced by Groot Hond self, Peach van Pletzen.
More than twenty years after Nicholis Louw’s memorable Afrikaans version, “Maia-hee” returns — not as a remake, but as a tongue-in-cheek revival from the future. The result is a hyper-colour, high-energy reinterpretation that blurs the line between parody, tribute and pure dancefloor euphoria.
“After having Nicholis Louw on PRAATING, it just felt right to revisit it, like the universe was conspiring for this to happen — two decades later — with a reimagined version,” says Peach.
SOSSI adds:
“Like most Afrikaans girls, Shine 4 was my Britney Spears, so I’m excited to celebrate those pop idols with this new rendition.”
I must just add a very special story here behind “Maia-hee”, as you know,we host Musiek Momentum weekly on Radio Laeveld 100.5FM, and we focus on a South African artist/band/DJ, etc., and we chose Van Pletzen as our 10th episode. Coenie Naude, the host of Die Middag Game Drive, on which Musiek Momentum featured, asked Peach if a radio edit is possible for “Maia-hee”. Peach delivered, and we are so honoured that Peach was willing to go in and remix the song just for the radio. We are band geeking hard! If you want to hear it, tune into Radio Laeveld 100.5FM because it playlisted.
Like the winning recipe that is Van Pletzen — their videos are a hint of groot gees, sex bombing and that trademark Mengels groot woorde. Have a luister — ek bedoel ’n look — at “Spoed” and “Maia-hee”. What a lekker vibe for Van Pletzen’s upcoming fifth album.
