This heritage month, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of Arno Carstens’ Afrikaans debut album, Die Aandblom13, released in September 2016 – a classic body of work which still rings true to the pure artistry that is Arno Carstens. The music will continue to leave you in awe even after repeat listens – as the lyric line states “Dis my intensie om jou boal mal te verbaas”.

Arno Carstens’ critically acclaimed album Die Aandblom13 won the Bok Radio Award in the category Beste Afrikaanse Liedjie (2016) for the song ‘Ontwaak’. The album garnered the coveted Best Engineered Album (2017) South African Music Award (SAMA) – engineered by Fred den Hartog, Dan Tylor and Tim Lengfeld. In the same year Arno earned a prestigious Ghoema for Beste Afrikaans Alternatiewe Album (2017).

The themes across the 13-track album examine the world around us. It is outspoken about matters relating to perceptions, challenges, awakening, hope, love and change. Themes that resonate today with much relevance.

Tracks such as ‘Siele Loop Sielloos’, ‘Chemikalieë’, ‘Bottel Sonder Prop’, ‘Ontwaak’ and ‘Bonatuurlik’ bear testament to an album that wasn’t written simply for the sake of writing, but one that was meticulously woven from words and music to move your inner being.

On Die Aandblom 13 Arno Carstens paints artful images with his mother tongue – at the core, it is rare and unique, authentic, straight to the point, unapologetic, soul deep. A masterpiece which is as relevant today as it was when it was originally recorded.