Malusi’s studio was a small, soundproofed corner of a high-rise apartment. On his desk sat a pair of worn headphones and a laptop that had seen better days, filled with folders labeled simply: Experiments . While the city outside danced to the high-energy "log drum" of mainstream amapiano, Malusi was chasing something else. He wanted the music to breathe. He wanted it to feel like the cool air that hits you after leaving a crowded club at 4:00 AM.
By dawn, the track was finished. He titled it "The Renowned Experiment" and uploaded it to a small community forum. He didn't expect much—just another drop in the digital ocean.
You can experience the atmospheric sound of Mr U P D's real-world remixes in this soulful deep house set:
The name "" is most notably associated with the South African deep house and amapiano music scene. He is a producer and remixer recognized for his signature "Deeper Experiment" mixes, which often feature soulful, atmospheric reworks of popular tracks.
One Tuesday night, he pulled up a vocal track from a local singer named Naledi. Her voice was raw and full of longing, but the original song was a fast-paced radio hit that buried her emotion under heavy drums. Malusi stripped it all back.
Two days later, his phone wouldn't stop buzzing. A legendary DJ had played the track as the sun rose over a festival in Pretoria. The crowd, exhausted from a night of dancing, hadn't stopped; they had closed their eyes and swayed, caught in the soul of the "U P D" sound.