Sondela Recordings expands its vision with the launch of new imprint Sondela Volt, introducing a dedicated home for the deeper, darker and more club-focused edges of African electronic music. Marking the label’s first release on 24th July, Volt opens its catalogue with ‘Ascendance’, a collaboration between returning Sondela artist Phila De Giant and label newcomer Ayden J.
Founded by the team behind Sondela Recordings, Sondela Volt has been created to champion records designed first and foremost for the dancefloor. While Sondela Recordings has built its reputation around celebrating the breadth, culture and global evolution of African electronic music, the new imprint narrows its focus towards peak-time club energy, exploring the driving worlds of Afro House, Afro Tech and 3Step through a distinctly underground lens.
Setting the tone is ‘Ascendance’, a powerful Afro Tech collaboration pairing returning Sondela artist Phila De Giant with emerging talent Ayden J. Built around hypnotic percussion, rolling grooves and peak-time energy, the release sets the blueprint for the sound Sondela Volt aims to champion.
The launch also represents the next step in Sondela’s wider story. Since its inception in 2021 under Defected Records before evolving into an independent movement, Sondela Recordings has become one of the leading platforms championing innovative African electronic music and the artists shaping its future. Through a commitment to authenticity, cultural exchange and long-term artist development, the label has consistently sought to amplify voices from across the continent and its diaspora while helping redefine perceptions of Afro-inspired electronic music on the global stage.
With ‘Ascendance’, Sondela Volt signals the beginning of a new chapter, one that looks firmly towards the future of African electronic music while staying rooted in the dancefloors where these sounds continue to evolve.
The debut release has already received early support from leading names including Enoo Napa. Stream & Purchase here.
