Central Square Records

Reviews:

And you thought Konono N°1 had a made-for-NPR backstory! These Congolese street musicians—several of whom were disabled by polio in childhood and now ride tricycles—are habitués of the Kinshasa Zoo and its environs, made their name with a GOTV song (in a town where, no offense to will.i.am, supporting the ballot is a gutsier move than stateside) and, after a Damon Albarn rave, eventually teamed up with producer Vincent Kenis, the guy who brought Congotronics to the world, and who’s got a real nose for the musical news angle.

Fortunately, Kenis also has a real ear for the artistically worthy. And while the raggedy rumba that tumbles throughout might not be enough to command your attention on its own, the biggest news hook here is also the most deserving of your attention. I’m referring to 18-year-old Roger Landu, inventor of the salongé, a one-stringed electric lute from which he coaxes a flexible high-pitched wail. Single-handedly (or at least single-stringedly), he brings something as yet unheard (though with echoes of the familiar) to African music.

Maybe the voices amassed here are more strained than the Congolese norm (which is itself smoother than the African norm), but the group makes up for its rough edges with the eager-to-please versatility that’s a street musician’s most essential asset. So they sometimes sing in French—more often in Lingala—sound like the imaginary folk precursors of Sunny Ade on "Je t’aime," assay doo-wop on "Sala Keba" and fall back on the reggae of "Sala Mosala" when the tourists get restless. And I think there’s some rapping going on during "Staff Benda Bilili." Why shouldn’t there be?