Echoes of Botanical Gardens succeeds as a cohesive experience, driven by strong production, compelling vocal work, and a clear emotional throughline.
By Yinoluwa Olowofoyeku
For South African producer, composer, and cultural architect Zakes Bantwini, born Zakhele Madida, and vocalist Skye Wanda, the arrival of Echoes of Botanical Gardens marks a meeting point between two distinct yet complementary artistic journeys rooted in musical depth, emotional expression, and sonic exploration.
Bantwini, raised in KwaMashu, Durban, has built a career that bridges House music, Afro-Pop, and orchestral composition, underpinned by formal academic training and a longstanding commitment to expanding the scope of African Electronic music. From early projects like Love, Light and Music (2013) to The Good Life (2018), and later global recognition through the Grammy Award-winning collaboration “Bayethe” with Wouter Kellerman and Nomcebo Zikode, his trajectory has consistently reflected a fusion of technical precision and cultural storytelling.
Skye Wanda, on the other hand, has carved out her own space within South Africa’s Alternative Soul and Electronic landscape. She is known for her airy, emotive vocal tone and introspective songwriting that often leans into themes of spirituality, love, and self-awareness. Her work, both as a solo artiste and a collaborator, has seen her operate fluidly across genres, lending her voice to projects that value mood, texture, and emotional resonance.
On Echoes of Botanical Gardens, these two artistic identities converge, with Bantwini’s meticulous, world-building production meeting Skye Wanda’s expressive and atmospheric vocal presence. The project arrives as a continuation of Bantwini’s interest in immersive sonic environments, while simultaneously providing Skye Wanda with a textured canvas to extend her vocal storytelling. The result is a body of work that situates itself within a broader conversation about collaboration, nature-inspired soundscapes, and the evolving language of contemporary African music.
“Focus” opens Echoes of Botanical Gardens with a gradual, unfolding build that feels both deliberate and immersive. Filtered kicks and a looping synth arpeggio introduce the sonic space, before clacking percussion and buzzing synth stabs begin to flesh out the groove as the drums come fully into their own. At the centre of it all is Skye Wanda, whose smooth vocal tone carries the song with ease, supported by rich harmonies and angelic group vocals that expand the emotional palette.
The instrumental continues to grow, with bright pad layers and sharp grand piano accents bridging the verses and adding a sense of lift and progression. The writing leans inward—autobiographical and emotionally exposed—focusing on mental and emotional self-preservation. “I’ve been a rock, I’ve been a mess / Suffered in silence / Kept it together for your ease / At my expense … I don’t wanna lose my way / I don’t wanna lose my focus.” The drums fall away briefly for a subtle, understated bridge, before the track builds into a more expansive dance break that ushers the song out, firmly establishing the sonic and emotional language of Echoes of Botanical Gardens.
“Never Meant For Me” continues with a deeply vulnerable premise, delivered through Skye Wanda’s grand, ballad-like vocal approach. Her performance leans into emotional weight and storytelling, recounting the experience of a mismatched love with conviction. “You were never meant for me / Unintended tragedy / You were never meant for me / But it was never plain to see … But I love you still / And I always will.”
The instrumental sits on a bright and somewhat uplifting foundation, built around piano chords, string pads, and occasional Electronic synth textures. However, the layering remains relatively sparse, and the progression does not evolve much over the course of its six-minute runtime, leaving the arrangement feeling somewhat stagnant. The song seems to rely heavily on its narrative and vocal delivery, but both the emotional and instrumental payoff fall short of what they gesture towards, making it feel longer and more tedious than intended.
“Feel The Same” shifts the sonic energy with thumping four-to-the-floor kicks and bending synth chords that introduce a more rhythmic and expansive base. Skye Wanda’s vocals arrive in an ethereal, almost ghostly tone, delivered with a gospel-like phrasing that leans into devotional expression. “So I will love you till you feel the same / My heart will recognise you till you feel the same / Mark my unmentionables with your name / It is yours to claim / Now, can you find it in your heart to feel the same?”
The instrumental supports this direction with bright piano chords and progressions that echo gospel sensibilities, and once the rich male backing vocals enter, that feeling is fully cemented. The result is an interesting sonic intersection, with house rhythms, gospel textures, and love-driven lyricism coexisting within the same space. Perhaps the song could be interpreted beyond romantic love into something more spiritual, but it remains an engaging and layered listen.
“Mina Nawe” immediately establishes a sombre and emotionally heavy atmosphere, with soft pad chords and sweeping piano glissandos setting the tone from the very first note. Skye Wanda enters with rapid-fire Zulu lyrics, her delivery expressive, almost pleading, as she narrates the story of an embattled love. “Thina sithandana / Kodwa wena awushintshi … Ngithi ukhoma, usuphumele / Nemizwa isicimile / K’shuthi imina isilima” [We loved each other / But you don’t change … I say you should grow/change, you’ve crossed the line / And the feelings have faded / It’s clear that I’m the fool]. Her vocal performance carries the emotional weight of the song, rising into heartfelt belting, supported by large group vocals and steadily building instrumentation.
The track moves towards a cathartic climax as the drums and percussive elements fully kick in, layered over sparkling keys, a smooth synth bassline, and expanding synth leads. The emotional intensity is sustained across its nine-minute runtime, with Skye Wanda’s voice anchoring every moment and pulling the listener deeper into the experience of Echoes of Botanical Gardens.
“Amasela” introduces a more chaotic and urgent sonic landscape, with percussive hits and bright piano lines working alongside a guiding synth lead and filtered drum patterns. Skye Wanda’s voice blends with male backing vocals, forming soft harmonic layers that sit over expressive but simple melodic lines, drawing the listener into a frantic, unfolding scene. “Ngibona negazi / Amasela ah / Nank’ amaphoyisa / Akuz’ umphakathi / Kupansi phezulu … Amasela ayabaleka” [I also see blood / Thieves, ah / Here come the police / It’s not the community / It’s upside down … The thieves are running away].
The arrangement mirrors this tension, with climactic moments marked by the repetition of the title, supported by expressive piano accompaniment, evolving synth melodies, and subtle countermelodies. Rattling hi-hats and bold percussive hits drive the energy forward, creating a dynamic interplay between the narrative and the instrumental layers.
“Phezulu” opens into a more uplifting and expansive sonic space, led by smooth synth arpeggios and a deep, thunderous bassline. Strong kick drums, incessant shakers, and light percussive accents provide the rhythmic backbone, while layers of floating, angelic vocals rise above the instrumentation. Skye Wanda’s breezy melodies are echoed by synth lines, creating a seamless dialogue between voice and sound.
As the track progresses, the vocal arrangement expands with multiple layers of female harmonies, gradually joined by male backing vocals that provide a rich counterpoint. At key moments, the drums take a back seat, allowing these lush vocal ensemble passages to take centre stage, enhanced by subtle vocal effects that add to their ethereal quality.
The verses move with energetic syncopation, as the vocals weave in and out of the instrumental, before opening into broader sections where the harmonies dominate. The track unfolds as a smooth, transportive experience, with the instrumentation supporting the vocal richness before tapering into a synth-led outro.
The final track continues seamlessly from “Phezulu”, extending its spiritual and uplifting tone while leaning further into devotional expression. Soft female vocals and delicate harmonic layers set the foundation, as Skye Wanda delivers with clarity and emotional depth. “Hlan’ inhliziyo yam / Ngiyazinikela / Ngiyazithobisa / Uzongikhuphula / Wena Baba (Wena Baba)” [Cleanse my heart / I surrender / I give myself / I humble myself / You will lift me up / You, Father (You, Father)].
She is joined by Jnr SA, a South African producer and vocalist known within the Afro-House space, whose contributions complement her performance through a balanced interplay of voices. Moments of quiet emerge where the instrumentation drops away entirely, allowing repeated ululations and expressive phrasing to take centre stage.
The track builds towards a climactic section marked by rolling tom drums, deep bass synths, and layered Electronic textures that merge with the vocals to create a wide, immersive sonic field. As the arrangement gradually sheds its layers, the instrumentation recedes, leaving the drums to close out Echoes of Botanical Gardens with a quiet but confident finality.
Echoes of Botanical Gardens presents itself as an opportunity for both artistes to continue expressing and expanding their individual artistry, not in isolation, but through a shared creative space where their strengths are harnessed and reinforced by one another. While the title suggests a clear source of inspiration, that connection does not immediately translate in a literal sense across the music or the tracklist.
Zakes Bantwini’s strength lies in his ability to craft immersive soundscapes, and that skill is on full display throughout the album; yet the direct allusion to a botanical garden is not explicitly evident in the sonic or compositional choices. Similarly, Skye Wanda excels in narrative songwriting and vocal storytelling, and she delivers on that front here as well, but the songs themselves do not overtly reference or embody the botanical imagery suggested by the title.
The interpretation then leans more comfortably towards the symbolic and emotional. If Echoes of Botanical Gardens is intended as an emotional journey inspired by the feelings one might experience within such a space, then the album succeeds in delivering that intention at multiple points.
The tracklist unfolds as a series of emotionally resonant moments, drawing from themes that sit comfortably within Skye Wanda’s established wheelhouse, including love, romance, heartbreak, spirituality, and self-evaluation. With Zakes Bantwini shaping the sonic environments around these narratives, the two are able to construct expansive musical journeys that stretch across the album’s lengthy runtime, carrying the listener through shifting emotional landscapes with consistency and intent.
The production stands as the primary tool in building this world. Zakes Bantwini approaches the album with a clear understanding of how to create emotionally intimate soundscapes, using his deep knowledge of music and familiarity with the genre to assemble layered, textured instrumentals.
Synths are stacked in dense arrangements, while the drum work remains relatively understated, allowing space for the melodic elements to breathe. There is a careful balance in how the production behaves, providing enough melodic presence to stand on its own while also stepping back when Skye Wanda’s vocals take precedence. In instrumental passages, the production rises to fill the space, and when the vocals return, it recedes again. This constant interplay forms a subtle but effective dialogue between both artistes across Echoes of Botanical Gardens.
When Skye Wanda takes the spotlight, she maximises it fully. Her voice moves with a smooth, controlled ease, gliding across the instrumentals with carefully chosen melodies that feel both intentional and instinctive. Her delivery carries a strong emotional charge, often feeling closer to a performance than a recording, as though she is embodying each narrative rather than simply singing it.
She transitions fluidly between repetitive, trance-like phrasing and broader, more expansive ballad expressions, responding naturally to both the arrangement and the emotional tone of each song. The use of harmonies, group vocals, and layered backing vocals further enriches her performance, creating moments of depth and warmth that enhance the listener’s connection to the music. The engineering plays a crucial role in this, shaping her vocals with subtle effects and placing them precisely within the mix to ensure clarity and impact—a detail that becomes especially apparent on tracks like “Phezulu”.
Beyond the vocal performance itself, the songwriting adds another layer of strength. Skye Wanda’s lyricism carries a level of emotional honesty and narrative clarity that grounds the album’s more expansive sonic ambitions.
She writes in a way that allows the listener to step into the scenarios she presents, whether it is the introspective self-evaluation of “Focus” or the emotionally heavy relationship narrative in “Mina Nawe”. These songs are constructed as lived-in experiences, inviting engagement and relatability rather than distance.
That sense of immersion is further emphasised by the album’s structure. The fact that seven tracks extend across nearly an hour without losing the listener’s attention for most of its duration speaks to the effectiveness of the execution, even accounting for a slight dip in momentum on “Never Meant For Me”.
While Echoes of Botanical Gardens may not introduce entirely new ideas into the genre, it represents its foundations with clarity and ambition. Echoes of Botanical Gardens succeeds as a cohesive experience, driven by strong production, compelling vocal work, and a clear emotional throughline. It ultimately stands as a showcase of two artistes operating confidently within their strengths, presenting a collaborative chemistry that feels natural, effective, and worthy of further exploration.
Lyricism – 1.6
Tracklisting – 1.4
Sound Engineering – 1.6
Vocalisation – 1.5
Listening Experience – 1.5
Rating – 7.6/10
Yinoluwa “Yinoluu” Olowofoyeku is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative who finds expression in various media. His music can be found across all platforms and he welcomes interaction on his social media @Yinoluu.