For almost 2 years now, we’ve been building a diverse roster of contemporary artists from all over Africa. From Malian traditional music to kuduro, highlife to salsa, Akwaaba has been covering much ground, yet one important piece has been missing: Congolese soukous. Perhaps the most significant genre across the entire continent during the 1970s and 1980s, and a style particularly dear to our ears. We’re in the process of fixing this, with an imminent release from Zaiko Langa Langa, soukous pioneers still touring to this day. But before that, bbrave serves us this here pungent mix of Congolese classics.
The story goes like this: our friends over at Dublab asked bbrave to do a mix for them. Rather than stick to club territory, why not use Dublab’s incredibly diverse platform to indulge into something more personal? And less obvious? So we bring to you this mix. Not afrofunk, this is pure soukous: raunchy snares, melodic guitars, and frenzy tempos. The whole of Africa has danced to this, are you ready for it?
Sam Mangwana – Georgette Eckins
Prince Luciano Kimpouni et les Kamba Kamba – Mbuale
Rewiiiiiiind: earlier this year we shared a dozen or so individual studio tracks from the track “Combination”, an interesting combination – pun shamefully intended – of traditional kora playing with an afrobeat jam session flavor. Following Jali’s debut album, Konteh Kunda, produced by Bay area musician Steve Pile, we are now proud to release this fine selection of remixes.
TRACKLIST:
01 – COMBINATION (HATNHOODIE REMIX, DE)
Hatnhoodie are best known for running the hatnhoodie.de blog, where they discuss – in German – the latest and greatest in the bubbling tropical scene.
02 – COMBINATION (ARTFX! REMIX, DE)
Berliner Artfx! has been making beats for well over a decade, but only recently did he get into more tropical type sounds. A pungent, fast-paced take on
Combination.
03 – COMBINATION (VOLTERGEIST REMIX, UK)
He’s back, you may remember Voltergeist of Microrave Records from the Ze Bula Remix EP. We just love his dark, dubby reworks of these African sounds. Get ready to sink in…
04 – COMBINATION (SENOR OZ REMIX, USA)
Oz, known to stand behind the decks at his weekly San Francisco party Afrolicious, also contributes to Six Degrees blog Global Noize, and – apparently! – also makes pretty great beats.
If you LOOOOOVE this shtuff, remember you can buy it in iTunes or directly from Jali’s own fancy Bandcamp store. Thanks for reading, next up: long overdue Miss Doctor remix contest results, coming VERY soon we promise!!!!
[:fr]
Souvenez-vous : plus tôt cette année nous avons publié une douzaine de versions studio du titre “Combination”, une combinaison intéressante – jeu de mots honteusement intentionnel – de kora traditionnelle jouée avec une production à la saveur afrobeat. Après le premier album de Jali, Konteh Kunda, produit par le musicien de la Bay Area Steve Pile, nous sommes aujourd’hui fiers de sortir cette sélection pointue de remixes.
TRACKLIST :
01 – COMBINATION (HATNHOODIE REMIX, ALL)
Hatnhoodie sont surtout connus pour être à la tête du blog hatnhoodie.de. Ils y parlent, en allemand, des dernières et des meilleures sorties de la bouillante scène tropical.
02 – COMBINATION (ARTFX! REMIX, ALL)
Le berlinois Artfx! crée des beats depuis plus de dix ans, mais ce n’est que récemment qu’il s’est aventuré vers des sons plus tropical. Un version incisive et effrénée de Combinaison.
03 – COMBINATION (VOLTERGEIST REMIX, GB)
Il est de retour ! Vous vous souvenez peut être de Voltergeist du label Microrave Records du fait de l’album Ze Bula Remix EP. On adore sa refonte sombre, dubby de ces sons africains. Préparez-vous pour le plongeon…
04 – COMBINATION (SENOR OZ REMIX, ÉU)
Oz, connu sa soirée hebdomadaire Afrolicious derrière les quais à San Francisco, a aussi contribué au blog de Six Degrees : Global Noize, et – il semblerait – produit de très bons beats.
Si vous adorez, rappelez-vous que vous pouvez acheter l’album sur iTunes ou directement sur le magasin Bandcamp de Jali. Merci pour votre lecture, à venir : les résultats qui se font gravement attendre de la compétition de remixes de Miss Doctor, ils sont là très bientôt prooomis !![:de]
Rewiiiiiiind: earlier this year we shared a dozen or so individual studio tracks from the track “Combination”, an interesting combination – pun shamefully intended – of traditional kora playing with an afrobeat jam session flavor. Following Jali’s debut album, Konteh Kunda, produced by Bay area musician Steve Pile, we are now proud to release this fine selection of remixes.
TRACKLIST:
01 – COMBINATION (HATNHOODIE REMIX, DE)
Hatnhoodie are best known for running the hatnhoodie.de blog, where they discuss – in German – the latest and greatest in the bubbling tropical scene.
02 – COMBINATION (ARTFX! REMIX, DE)
Berliner Artfx! has been making beats for well over a decade, but only recently did he get into more tropical type sounds. A pungent, fast-paced take on
Combination.
03 – COMBINATION (VOLTERGEIST REMIX, UK)
He’s back, you may remember Voltergeist of Microrave Records from the Ze Bula Remix EP. We just love his dark, dubby reworks of these African sounds. Get ready to sink in…
04 – COMBINATION (SENOR OZ REMIX, USA)
Oz, known to stand behind the decks at his weekly San Francisco party Afrolicious, also contributes to Six Degrees blog Global Noize, and – apparently! – also makes pretty great beats.
If you LOOOOOVE this shtuff, remember you can buy it in iTunes or directly from Jali’s own fancy Bandcamp store. Thanks for reading, next up: long overdue Miss Doctor remix contest results, coming VERY soon we promise!!!!
On October 7 2010, Arte‘s flagship music program Tracks did a piece about Sound Hunters. This is the first half of the piece, focused on Akwaaba Music and label boss Benjamin Lebrave. Thanks to Arte for letting us post!
DJ Djeff offers a break from the raw Angolan kuduro batidas, and shows us a clubbier side to the Luanda sound on Elegom Bounsa, a collaboration with kuduro-house darling MC Maskarado.
House and deep house are the result of years in Portugal’s club circuit, inspired by the likes of Louie Vega, DJ Gregory or Erick Morillo. Looking further, DJ Djeff’s music has roots in African and Caribbean classics such as Cesaria Evora or Kassav, tunes he would hear a lot growing up in a Cape Verdian and Angolan household in Lisbon.
From 2002 to 2008, DJ Djeff was perfecting his DJing skills at various clubs in Portugal and Angola. When he completed his graphic design course in Lisbon in 2008, he headed straight to Luanda, where he’s taken the club circuit by storm, while also honing his skills as a beat maker. But there’s more: DJ Djeff is also the host of Made in Angola on TV Zimbo, an influential TOP 10 music video show in Angola.
DJ Djeff has quickly made a name for himself on Angola’s music and club circuit, landing him a collaboration with Maskarado, a familiar voice – and face – in Angola: Maskarado has become the go-to kuduro MC for all kuduro / house crossovers, collaborating with producers such as Eliei, but also working as an actor with film makers such as Ho Chi Fu.
Despite their busy schedules, the two found time to record this big, big tune. Not a day goes by in Luanda without hearing Elegom Bounsa, we feel sharing it is way overdue! A nova dica pai!
DJ Djeff nous propose de mettre de côté un instant les batidas brut du kuduro Angolais et nous montre un aspect plus club du son luandais avec Elegom Bounsa, une collaboration avec le chéri de la kuduro-house MC Maskarado.
La House et la Deep House sont le résultat d’années passées dans le milieu club du Portugal, inspirés par exemple par Louie Vega, DJ Gregory ou Erick Morillo. En allant chercher plus loin, la musique de DJ Djeff trouve ses racines dans les classiques africains et caribéens comme Cesaria Evora ou Kassav, des morceaux qu’en grandissant dans une famille cap-verdienne et angolaise à Lisbonne il a beaucoup entendus.
De 2002 à 2008, DJ Djeff a parfait ses compétences de DJing dans un certain nombre de clubs au Portugal et en Angola. Dès qu’il termine ses études de design graphique à Lisbonne en 2008, il part à Luanda sur le champ, où il a complètement retourné le monde des clubs tout en affûtant ses compétences de beat-maker. Mais il y a autre chose encore : DJ Djeff est aussi l’organisateur de Made in Angola sur TV Zimbo, un show de TOP 10 de clips influent en Angola.
DJ Djeff s’est rapidement fait un nom dans le milieu des clubs et dans la musique angolaise, ce qui le conduit à collaborer avec Maskarado, une voix (et un visage) familiers en Angola : Maskarado est devenu le MC de kuduro en vogue pour tous les projets kuduro / house, collaborant avec des producteurs tels que Eliei, mais travaillant aussi comme acteur pour des réalisateurs comme Ho Chi Fu.
Malgré leurs emploi du temps chargés, tous deux ont réussi à trouver un moment pour enregistrer ce gros, gros son. Pas un jour ne passe à Luanda sans que l’on entende Elegom Bounsa, ça nous donne l’impression d’être en retard en le partageant ! A nova dica pai !
DJ Djeff offers a break from the raw Angolan kuduro batidas, and shows us a clubbier side to the Luanda sound on Elegom Bounsa, a collaboration with kuduro-house darling MC Maskarado.
House and deep house are the result of years in Portugal’s club circuit, inspired by the likes of Louie Vega, DJ Gregory or Erick Morillo. Looking further, DJ Djeff’s music has roots in African and Caribbean classics such as Cesaria Evora or Kassav, tunes he would hear a lot growing up in a Cape Verdian and Angolan household in Lisbon.
From 2002 to 2008, DJ Djeff was perfecting his DJing skills at various clubs in Portugal and Angola. When he completed his graphic design course in Lisbon in 2008, he headed straight to Luanda, where he’s taken the club circuit by storm, while also honing his skills as a beat maker. But there’s more: DJ Djeff is also the host of Made in Angola on TV Zimbo, an influential TOP 10 music video show in Angola.
DJ Djeff has quickly made a name for himself on Angola’s music and club circuit, landing him a collaboration with Maskarado, a familiar voice – and face – in Angola: Maskarado has become the go-to kuduro MC for all kuduro / house crossovers, collaborating with producers such as Eliei, but also working as an actor with film makers such as Ho Chi Fu.
Despite their busy schedules, the two found time to record this big, big tune. Not a day goes by in Luanda without hearing Elegom Bounsa, we feel sharing it is way overdue! A nova dica pai!
