Congotronics 2 (Buzz'n'Rumble from the Urb'n'Jungle)

Overview

The Congotronics 2 album includes a 41-minute DVD based on material filmed by Vincent Kenis while he recorded these bands in Kinshasa. These bands all draw on traditional trance music, to which they’ve incorporated heavily-distorted sounds generated by DIY amplification of their instruments... just like Konono N°1, except that, as musicians come from various geographical and cultural background, they use very diverse rhythms, timbres and instruments: the trademark electrified thumb pianos and megaphones are joined by an array of buzzing drums, swirling guitars and hypnotic balafons. The subtitle of this album hints to the legendary Ali-Foreman boxing fight which took place in Kinshasa in 1974, and was nicknamed "Rumble In The Jungle". James Brown, BB King, Fania All Stars and Myriam Makeba performed there around that event, which had a deep impact on a whole generation of young Congolese musicians and fans.