Behind the continent’s increasingly adventurous underground scenes is a growing class of inventive producers reshaping what African music can and should sound like. From Zino Milly to Kampala-based DJ and producer Authentically Plastic, these producers’ work moves freely between Afropop, Rap, Electronic music, and the countless other sounds that exist somewhere in between.

These producers’ importance extends beyond the beats they make. Many of them are key figures within the communities around them, working repeatedly with emerging artists and helping establish the sonic language of scenes that are still taking shape. In the process, they’re becoming important architects of a new wave of African music that feels increasingly fluid and difficult to define.

For this uNder Special, we spotlight some of the producers from across the continent who are helping push that evolution forward.

Zino Milly