Charged! Now this is genuinely exciting. One of the best and certainly most original African records you're likely to hear all year. Kinshasa, Congo collective KOKOKO! and their debut album Fongola, just out. From the off it summons up a fantastic kinetic energy, rooted in African traditions as you'd expect, but plugging into something else too which is what really grabbed my attention. The whole thing has a fabulous electro driven momentum.
As the record progressed I realised that one of the things it reminded me of most was Devo. An impression only enhanced when you see pictures of the band dressed in striking matching yellow overalls. The energy of that and Kuti generated tribal rhythms result in quite inspired fusion. KOKOKO! have two main singers and they set off a call and response effect that drives the songs forward into wonderfully infectious open territory.
Recorded in ad hoc circumstances in Kinshasa and Brussels utilising all tools and means at the band's disposal, Fongola well and truly gets the party started although there are darker voodoo elements stirred into the mix of their incantation which only serves to broaden their appeal. KOKOKO! embark on the European festival circuit shortly and judging by this and given that they tour with their own backing vocalists, dancers and performing ensemble should make a quite fabulous live proposition. Make sure you give them a listen.
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