It Began in Afrika
30s preview
- BPM
- 134
- Open Key
- 4d
- Energy
- 90/100
- Pop
- 35/100
- Length
- 6:16
- Released
- 2001
- Genre
- Big Beat
- Loudness
- -6.3 dB
- Dynamics
- 14.7 dB
- ISRC
- GBAAA0100913
Key, BPM and audio features: model-based audio analysis · how we measure · catalogue updated July 2026
It Began in Afrika runs 134 BPM in A major (11B), a peak-time tempo big beat record. The master keeps unusual dynamic range for club music (crest 15 dB). A 2001 production that still circulates in sets. Better known than 87% of The Chemical Brothers's catalogue. In a set it works best as a peak-time weapon.
- Low end:
- more treble-tilted than 75% of The Chemical Brothers's catalogue
Sonic profile
Frequency spectrum
amplitude · bass → treble
- 31%
- Low
- 30-130 Hz
- 29%
- Low-mid
- 130-570 Hz
- 23%
- Upper-mid
- 570 Hz-2.5 kHz
- 17%
- High
- 2.5-11 kHz
FAQ
What key is It Began in Afrika in?
It Began in Afrika by The Chemical Brothers is in A major, or 11B on the Camelot wheel.
What BPM is It Began in Afrika?
It Began in Afrika runs at 134 BPM, a peak-time tempo track.
What mixes well with It Began in Afrika?
From 11B it blends harmonically with 12B, 11A, 10B. Moving to 12B lifts the energy a step.
Is It Began in Afrika good for peak time?
With energy 90 out of 100 at 134 BPM, it works best as a peak-time weapon.
Mixes harmonically
11B → 10B · 12B · 11AFrom 11B, 12B (E major) lifts the energy a step; 11A (F♯ minor) settles into the relative minor; 10B (D major) cools the energy down a step.
How to mix it
In 11B at 134 BPM: 12B (E major) — move to 12B to push the floor harder; 11A (F♯ minor) — switch to 11A for a mood change without losing the groove; 10B (D major) — drop to 10B to bring the room down gently.
Pitch range at ±6%: 126-142 BPM — anything in that window beatmatches without sounding stretched.
Key on the fader: without key lock (Master Tempo on CDJs), above roughly +5% it plays a semitone higher, so treat it as 6B rather than 11B; below -5% it reads as 4B. With key lock on, it stays 11B across the whole range.
Programming: a peak-time weapon — save it for the main stretch (energy 90/100).
Similar tempo
Within ±3 BPM of 134 — beatmatch without a big tempo pull.
More big beat
More from The Chemical Brothers
Full profile
Other recommendations
Beyond strict key and genre matches: tracks that still sit in beatmatch range of 134 BPM with a compatible energy and groove — candidates for a key jump or a genre crossover.
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