Congotronics 2: Buzz 'N' Rumble From The Urb 'N' Jungle CD - Import

When long-running Bazombo trance ensemble Konono No. 1 first thrilled Western ears to the sounds of amplified scrapheap percussion on the first installment of CONGOTRONICS (2005), it was a revelatory moment for audiences whose appreciation of African pop rarely ventured past the more obvious World Music platitudes. The series followup, CONGOTRONICS 2: BUZZ `N' RUMBLE FROM THE URB `N' JUNGLE, focuses on a handful of artists from the Kinsasha-based scene, all putting their individual stamp on electronically-treated percussion. From the majestic bass drones of "Koyile Nyeka Nyeka" by Kasai Allstars to the polyrhythmic concatenations of Masanka Sankayi's "Le Laboureur," a stunning variety of approaches is employed. And despite its seemingly distortion-fixated resemblance to the outer reaches of Western experimental music, this is, first and foremost, celebratory music with a joyous life-affirming purpose that belies the daily struggles encountered by its creators.

This set offers a fresh selection of even more remarkable sounds, courtesy of 7 electro-traditional bands from Kinshasa, Congo. These bands draw on traditional trance music with heavily distored sounds generated by do-it-yourself amplification. The DVD includes 41 minutes of material filmed in Kinshasa. Bands include Sobanza Mimanisa, Kasai Allstars, Kisanzi Congo, Masanka Sankayi, Bolia We Ndenge, Basokin, Konono No. 1, and Tulu.

Performers include: Sobanza Mimanisa, Kasai Allstars, Kisanzi Congo, Masanka Sankayi, Bolia We Ndenge, Basokin, Konono No. 1, Tulu.Rolling Stone (p.88) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "This disc shows variations on Konono's fuzzy, mesmerizing likembes mixed with traditional singing and eclectic percussion."
Entertainment Weekly (p.102) - "By Western measures, the bizarre timbres constitute an accidental avant-garde; by any measure, they rock." -- Grade: A