Andrew Missingham
Andrew Missingham - Barungwa & the Birth of a New Direction
When Robert Trunz began recording South African artists under B&W Music in the early 1990s, one of the key London-Johannesburg bridges that emerged was through the drummer, producer, and early UK acid-jazz figure Andrew Missingham. His work became part of the DNA of what would later evolve into MELT 2000.
Outernational Meltdown (1994) — The Catalyst
The Outernational Meltdown Sessions, recorded in 1994, brought together a new generation of South African musicians with Brazilian and UK players.
These sessions were loose, experimental, township-rooted and globally curious — a perfect storm that helped set the tone for the MELT catalogue that followed.
Key contributors included Airto Moreira, Jose Neto, Byron Wallen, Pops Mohamed, Sipho Gumede, Moses Taiwa Molelekwa , Madala Kunene, Andrew Missingham, Shaluza Max Mntambo, Dave “Mxolise” Mayekana and Amampondo. An early collaborations with musicians who later shaped the MELT2000 discography
These recordings produced a distinct sound: South African groove mixed with London’s emerging acid-jazz pulse.
It was here that Andrew Missingham first emerged as a creative voice in the MELT 2000 story.
Barungwa – The Messengers (1995) -Founded by Andrew Missingham
Out of the 1994 Meltdown sessions grew Barungwa — Andrew Missingham’s group that captured the sound of London post-jazz fused with South African harmony and rhythm.
Released on B&W Music in 1995, Barungwa – The Messengers was one of the first fully-formed bands to emerge from the Outernational environment.
Featured musicians included Moses Taiwa Molelekwa – piano, Andrew Missingham – drums, Shaluza Max Mntambo – vocals, Dave Mxolise Mayekana – guitar & vocals, Chris Bowden – saxophone & flute
Barungwa showed what the Meltdown sessions could become:
structured, composed music built on township jazz, London funk, modal improvisation, and the youthful energy of post-apartheid South Africa.
It was one of the first major signposts pointing toward the ElectricMELT aesthetic.
Square Window — The Electronic Branch (ElectricMELT)
After Barungwa, Andrew Missingham and Chris Bowden explored a more electronic path through Square Window, which later aligned naturally with ElectricMELT, MELT’s experimental and electronic sub-label.
Moses Taiwa Molelekwa — Genes & Spirits (1998)
Everything that started in Outernational Meltdown — openness, cross-pollination, and resistance to genre boxes — reached a creative peak in Moses Taiwa Molelekwa’s masterpiece Genes & Spirits co-produced by Andrew Missingham who also provided drum programming.