Tune In: Surfing the noir wave

Finding new music that is both good and vaguely original is a challenge. This is particularly true when you consider that as a species, we have seemingly mined just about every aural nook and cranny in the pursuit of sonic sexiness.

While perhaps not a musical snowflake, Cape Town musician Petite Noir might just be the person to flummox and delight even the most diligent students of music.

Formerly a member of electro pop band Popskarr with Spoek Mathambo, Petite Noir (née Yannick Ilunga) branched out on his own to create the eerily soulful sound he calls "noir wave".

"Noir wave is basically new wave music with an African aesthetic but it's more than just a sound: it's a culture," said Ilunga.

His sound is distinctly African but far more subtly than Fela and Femi Kuti or Angelique Kidjo. It is the sound of an African soul with a desire not to lose that heritage peppered with modern electronic influences that the Africa of old never knew.

Born in Belgium to Congolese parents, Ilunga has spent the vast majority of his life in Cape Town listening to R&B, hip-hop, 1990s punk rock and electronic music. Out of this heady mix of influences "noir wave" was born.

"It is kind of like what hip-hop was. It is rebellious but positive. I guess it just comes from being a Congolese kid growing up in Cape Town," he said.

Twisting genres into musical knots as he does has meant that Ilunga does not create well with others. This is why, in a move becoming increasingly popular among musicians, he has chosen to sign up with an independent label rather than one of the majors.

"I was in several bands a few years ago and found that being in a band just wasn't my thing. I have too much emotion to let other people make the decisions," he said.

It is this overabundance of emotions that oozes out of his music. His debut single, Till we are Ghosts, is a dark, smoky, baritone- laced love song that caught the attention of one of Cape Town's most famous residents, Yaslin Bey, formerly known as rapper Mos Def, with whom he collaborated on a number of projects.

"I learnt so much from him and I feel like we have the same kind of unusual brain. He taught me how to be confident in my music and that has been key for me going forward," Ilunga said.

Being a genre bender is often more hassle than it is worth. More often than not the general public is far more receptive to the kind of music that can fit neatly into a defined category. However, for those willing to forsake the sex-obsessed bubblegum porn pop played by your favourite radio station, noir wave may hit the right note.

• Listen to Petite Noir on Soundcloud.com/petitenoir