Felix Buxton of the electronic duo Basement Jaxx.
Image: Instagram.
Forget the dark, sweat-soaked corners of a 3am club. This weekend, South Africa’s cultural pulse isn’t beating in the shadows, it’s exploding under the wide-open African sky.
The Kiss Kiss festival is back, and it’s bringing the kaleidoscopic chaos of UK electronic legends Basement Jaxx (Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe) to the historic ramparts of Cape Town’s Castle of Good Hope and the lush lakeside of Joburg’s Emmarentia Dam.
This isn't just a festival; it’s an all-day cultural playground where the soundtrack evolves as the sun sets.
For Buxton, returning to South Africa isn’t just another tour stop, it’s a front-row seat to a cultural revolution.
Reflecting on the rise of the local scene, Buxton notes: "Africa has put itself in the focus and other people in Europe have pulled Africa in the focus, which is amazing to hear. It's lovely to have witnessed the development of the last 20 years, and rather than being something in the fringe it's bang in the middle of culture."
He adds a heartfelt nod to the local producers who have disrupted the status quo: "I wish every single producer over here luck and love in what they are doing and saying it's really appreciated that you've given us something in the pallet of electronic music which actually can get very narrow at times if people are not careful."
While the festival promises a high-octane daytime-first format, Basement Jaxx remains focused on the emotional resonance of the dance floor.
In a world of fleeting trends, Buxton remains grounded in the philosophy of their biggest hits.
"For me the message is in the music, beats and stuff come and go, but I think the message of the music has always been more important to me and 'Where’s Your Head At' is questing your mental state," he explains.
The 2026 edition of Kiss Kiss features a pan-generational lineup, bridging the gap between legends like Ready D and Mafikizolo and the genre-bending hyper-pop punk energy of Internet Girl.
This mix of raw instrumentation and digital exploration is something Buxton finds vital in the age of AI and social media.
"There's great music from young people today, people just playing instruments and getting away from all the computers trying to just get to the heart of the matter," he says.
"There definitely seems to be this new energy fueled by vibrancy and hopefully anger channeled in a positive way. Young people caring about what's happening in the world with the political situation rather than just flipping through TikTok."
Kiss Kiss is curated to unfold from early afternoon through the golden hour, moving away from the dark club aesthetic toward something more human.
"Generally when it's dark you can have a bit of lights and get an atmosphere, but in the day time it's very much about meeting people and getting on their vibe and playing our music and trying to give them what they want. Try to make it an uplifting, educational and all pleasing human experience."
The duo hopes the festival serves as a mental reset for the thousands expected to attend.
He poetically says: "Hopefully their heads and thoughts rise up and then the thoughts circulate and then fall like rain.
"Then they find that they are nestling in their body, feeling their body. The energy that's fueling it is the pumping heart, so they are in their hearts and their heads are having a bit of time off. Hopefully they connecting with that kind of inward energy, to be able to get to that authentic space, to be truthful in your body, knowing who you are, how you feel."
Simon Ratcliffe of the electronic duo Basement Jaxx.
Image: Instagram.
Between the sets from Tamara Dey, Abby Nurock, and Desmond & The Tutus, attendees will find a masterfully curated food court and roaming theatre performers.
For the Jaxx, the simplicity of the festival’s offering is its greatest strength: "That's what people want to do at festivals, good music, good food, good company, good energy, then it's win-win isn't it? We getting into a good positive state and it's great."
As they prepare to take the stage at two of South Africa's most prestigious landmarks, the goal is simple yet profound.
"I think the idea of trying to make something special in a special place in a special way, is something we can do," Buxton says.
"Part of it is reacting to the environment once you are there and to get that sweet spot where everyone can energetically float around and hopefully leave the gig and make world peace."
Looking back on their long history with the country, he concludes: "Years ago we were in a rush, it was quite chaotic, but that was very exciting. I suppose now it's kind of going back and digesting what you're experiencing and going a little bit deeper and also seeing how the world changes."
The Kiss Kiss festival takes place in Cape Town on Saturday, April 11, at the Castle of Good Hope and in Johannesburg on Sunday, April 12, at Emmarentia Dam.
Tickets are available through Webtickets.