Initially through their live shows and then with 2016’s groundbreaking EP, Volumes, Jean-Louise and Alex Parker have conjured up a pop soundscape that easily places the duo alongside those pushing the frontiers of the genre on the global scene. They have matched this with an arresting aesthetic and a recent slate of intensely conceived performances – all of which have fortified Academie’s standing as among South Africa’s most exciting creative talents.

The songs are a mix of dark and light that reflects the dualism that Academie readily embraces: in their self-contained musical world, pre-recorded samples, vocal reverb and loops are as central to the sound as the viola, guitar and saxophone.

The sense of humankind’s dislocation from one another is reflected in Academie’s broader examination of twenty-first century living, through the prism of songs.

When Academie first appeared in early 2016 it was obvious that this was no side-project. For one, the duo paid attention to their live performances in the way few other South African pop acts do, frequently enhancing their shows with thrilling sonic elements. The Horizons Project Choir joined Academie on their highly-coveted Main Stage slot at Oppikoppi in 2017 and a string section exquisitely elevates a filmed studio performance of “In the Clearing”, a track off Volumes that’s at once spare and intoxicating. The absorbing Academie live experience has also seen them play most major South African festivals over the past few years including Fete de la Musique in Johannesburg (2016), Mieliepop Festival (2017), Smoking Dragon Festival Main Stage (2017), and Rocking The Daisies (2018).