Congotronics 2

[coll]: CONGOTRONICS 2
Crammed, 2006

CONGO – You didn’t think Konono No. 1 was all there was, did you? Here’s nine more examples of the fuzzed out, funky music of Kinshasa, Congo. Like Konono (who turn up on tack 9), the groups all have electrified instruments plugged into cruddy do-it-yourself amps, creating wonderfully distorted sounds. This time there’s a variety of musical styles to explore, but all still have that trance thing going on. Watch for part 3 later this year…

All tracks are awesome! Fo’s faves: 1, 2, 6, 9

1. 4:00 – local all-star band; big fuzzy bassline, xylophone, great call/response vox
2. 7:17 – amazing traditional grooves, like a symphony of frogs with chanting on top
3. 6:47 – rockin’ “power chord” pop, carnival percussion and megaphone vocals
4. 9:35 – more traditional, little distortion: yelled vocals and nice breezy patterns
5. 7:17 – electric likembe, group vox, percussion, light & airy over a muddy bassline
6. 4:59 – yowza! dense, slamming groove: megaphone vox, breakdown in middle
7. 6:14 – loping dance rhythm: accordion blends with traditional drumming & vox
8. 8:35 – steady rhythm: group vox, buzz drums, warbly guitar, then insistent trance
9. 8:19 – live in Brussels: great beat, gets trancey after 2 mins, and just takes off!

[Fo] 12/9/05