STAFF BENDA BILILI!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtVZhaZp6Ng

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staff_Benda_Bilili

Have we discussed this group from Kinshasha? Vincent Kenis, a Belgian musician who has curated the ongoing series of Congotronics albums, is also behind the scenes on this one.

I love the sound of their electric lute, but I'm not really into the overall style. I've heard the album and think it's good, just not quite for me. I do like "Moziki" in particular, which you can stream from their myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/staffbendabilili

(There's been some mention of them on the rolling world music thread, which admitedly tends to be as dry as my post to this thread.)

FANTASTIQUE!

Some of the few people willing to post on this Rolling thread talked about them! (oh no, do not let anyone know I am listening to music marketed in that manner)

Rolling Global Sublime Whirled Music 2009 (With an emphasis on African likely)

I think their album is really pretty great and maybe in my top 10 for 09 so far

Someone in The Beat, I think it was Martin Sinnock, provides a lengthy review of this album in his column, and he complains about the sound of the electric lute, the one thing I really like in this music. He says the music is basically traditionally Congolese rumba and the electric lute sounds out of place (and reminds him of a similar Asian instrument sound that he doesn't like, or something like that). I confess to not liking Congolese music in general, so I'm the sort of listener for whom that electric lute might be a draw. He also expresses some cynicism about music writers' embrace of this album given the Crammed Disc backing for it. (I'm sure that to someone who is really into Congolese music it might not seem worthy of the extra hype.) On the other hand, I didn't get interested because of any Congotronics-related hype. I heard Moziki on Afropop Worldwide and liked it, that's all.

He also expresses some cynicism about music writers' embrace of this album given the Crammed Disc backing for it.

At a guess, in like 90% of cases this'll be because it's the only thing of its type they got sent in the post since, uh, the last Congotronics thing

I think their album is really pretty great and maybe in my top 10 for 09 so far

yeah, mine too. i love the jams, but i also really like the more ballad-like tunes. it's a good record.

they are touring europe, apparently.

the one thing I really like in this music

This was a little bit of an exaggeration. I mostly like the rhythms for the most part, and all the instrumental parts are strong. Not crazy about a lot of the songs as songs, and I'm not into the vocals.