Various Artists

Congotronics 2 – Buzz ‘N’ Rumble From the Urb ‘N’ Jungle

2006-05-08

All of these seven bands draw on traditional dance music to which they have incorporated heavily distorted sounds generated by do-it-yourself amplification to form this “electro-traditional” sound. As musicians come from diverse regions, they use diverse rhythms, timbres, and instrumentation. Electrified thumb pianos and megaphones are joined by an array of buzzing drums, swirling guitars, and hypnotic balafons. The subtitle of this album draws on the legendary Ali-Foreman boxing fight which took place in Kinshasa in 1974, nicknamed “Rumble in the Jungle.” James Brown, BB King and Myriam Makeba performed around the event, which had a deep impact on a generation of Congolese musicians and fans. All Things Considered, March 27, 2006 • A CD series called Congotronics showcases urban traditional bands in Kinshasa, Congo. The first Congotronics CD was a hit in Europe and the United States, especially popular with DJs who work the music into their club mixes. Now, Congotronics 2 is being released.