Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
Time Out, (Critics' Choice - Hot Albums), July 31, 2008
Unearthed by the same people who gave us Konono No.1...their fellow Congolese collective bewitch us with trance-rock and shamanic funk.
Mixmag, (Joe Muggs), August 2008
A lighter, more spacey version of Konono No. 1...rich vocal harmonies and sparkling guitars...these complex grooves are the perfect summer sound.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The third in the 'Congotronics' series, this album is produced by what is effectively a collective of some 25 members of other African bands.
The nine pieces weld mainly traditional instruments, some amplified, to electric guitar and authentic group vocals to create a mesmerising texture which, although highly rhythmic, contains multiple layers of instrumentation which your ears can explore as they wish.
The sounds of the thumb pianos and various other local instruments are completely unique and yet if you're unfamiliar with them can sound similar to more modern instruments - they give the music a kind of modern lo-fi feel which, far from off-putting, adds to making the sound contemporary but still traditional - if that makes any sense.
I've read one or two reviews that imply that the more distorted instrumentation can jar with the more traditional elements, but i simply didn't pick up on that at all - the music maintains a steady level and real ambience. It might be a horrible cliche, but the overall effect is to take you firmly away from wherever you are to an African village somewhere, and completely spellbinding.
I'm completely bowled over by some of the highly ambient world music that's around now (another, though stylistically different, example is the Tuareg group Tartit, whose album 'Abacabok' is well worth checking out).
So if you've an interest either in African/world music, or lo-fi experimentation/electronica, i'd strongly recommend this album.
And if that's not a good enough reason, surely you HAVE to buy an album that has a title like that?!
The nine pieces weld mainly traditional instruments, some amplified, to electric guitar and authentic group vocals to create a mesmerising texture which, although highly rhythmic, contains multiple layers of instrumentation which your ears can explore as they wish.
The sounds of the thumb pianos and various other local instruments are completely unique and yet if you're unfamiliar with them can sound similar to more modern instruments - they give the music a kind of modern lo-fi feel which, far from off-putting, adds to making the sound contemporary but still traditional - if that makes any sense.
I've read one or two reviews that imply that the more distorted instrumentation can jar with the more traditional elements, but i simply didn't pick up on that at all - the music maintains a steady level and real ambience. It might be a horrible cliche, but the overall effect is to take you firmly away from wherever you are to an African village somewhere, and completely spellbinding.
I'm completely bowled over by some of the highly ambient world music that's around now (another, though stylistically different, example is the Tuareg group Tartit, whose album 'Abacabok' is well worth checking out).
So if you've an interest either in African/world music, or lo-fi experimentation/electronica, i'd strongly recommend this album.
And if that's not a good enough reason, surely you HAVE to buy an album that has a title like that?!
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Congotronics from Konono No 1 blossomed onto the music scene in 2005. The sounds were completely fresh for a Western music world overflowing with monotonously bland indie and dire bedroom laptop electronica. Was this the tragic end to raw talent in music or were listeners not looking far enough, it's a tough decision to make, but I'd wager the latter in this case.
Kaisai Allstars' who share the same ferociously energetic intensity as Konono No 1, unbelievably bizarre long title, In the 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and At the Head of His Enemy By Magic, is the third and arguably the best in the Congrotronics series. Crammed Discs have delivered this decade's most uniquely timeless album, the long title notwithstanding.
Beginning with an overbearing pounding rhythm to hold everything together including a twinkle clatter here and shimmering guitar lick there - it's a wholly joyous amalgamation of all the underground pulsating energy into music greats: Fela Kuti, Faust and Sun Ra; its energy and timelessness especially reminiscent of the German Krautrock scene in the 70's. Not for a single solitary second throughout the entire song, or in fact the entire album does this energy give up. It travels through light and dark and at its more quieter moments, like on the title track serves a short contemplation. The flow is absolutely astounding and unlike any other musical force bestowed onto our Western ears. Like a voodoo ritual deep in the hottest African environment - sparse streets - no trees, only rocks, stones and a group of black musicians - speaking and singing in their own language. Which while not understanding the lyrics is a slight downside to fully enjoying the music within - it only adds to its mysterious voodoo-like entity, offering a sublime hour and 10 minutes of spellbinding music.
Kaisai Allstars' who share the same ferociously energetic intensity as Konono No 1, unbelievably bizarre long title, In the 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and At the Head of His Enemy By Magic, is the third and arguably the best in the Congrotronics series. Crammed Discs have delivered this decade's most uniquely timeless album, the long title notwithstanding.
Beginning with an overbearing pounding rhythm to hold everything together including a twinkle clatter here and shimmering guitar lick there - it's a wholly joyous amalgamation of all the underground pulsating energy into music greats: Fela Kuti, Faust and Sun Ra; its energy and timelessness especially reminiscent of the German Krautrock scene in the 70's. Not for a single solitary second throughout the entire song, or in fact the entire album does this energy give up. It travels through light and dark and at its more quieter moments, like on the title track serves a short contemplation. The flow is absolutely astounding and unlike any other musical force bestowed onto our Western ears. Like a voodoo ritual deep in the hottest African environment - sparse streets - no trees, only rocks, stones and a group of black musicians - speaking and singing in their own language. Which while not understanding the lyrics is a slight downside to fully enjoying the music within - it only adds to its mysterious voodoo-like entity, offering a sublime hour and 10 minutes of spellbinding music.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
the chief eats the heads of his listeners by musical magic
18 Sep 2008
Format:Audio CD
Kudos to the innovative Congotronics project for bringing forth the fascinating music found on this album (which is an early entry in what looks to be an ongoing series). Here we have a couple of dozen authentic musicians from the Congo, representing various ethnic groups and languages, collaborating on new sounds and aided by some cutting edge sonic production techniques. For most Western listeners, what comes to mind when hearing the term "African music" is the popular sounds of Ghana, Senegal, or Nigeria. But the music of the Congo has its own unique style, with a use of repetition and slowly developing grooves that create an absolutely mesmerizing effect. (Some Western listeners may find these lengthy workouts more tedious than mesmerizing, but the only song here that partially falls on the unhappy side of that line is "Mukuba.") Of special interest are "Quick as White," based on the uniquely haunting sound of heavily distorted finger pianos, the acapella "Tshitua Fuila Mbuloba," and the extended near-funk grooves of "Beyond the 7th Moon" and "Drowning Goat (Mbuji-Mayi)." The album's wild title only hints at the fascination and intrigue of the sounds herein. [~doomsdayer520~]
Incredibly Happy Music
13 Dec 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the rare slice of music that succeeds at music's core goal- to evoke an emotional response from the listener. This simplistic, repetitive music just stinks of joy, you can hear and feel passionate, urgent HAPPINESS flying out of these dinky instruments built from trash. Accompanied by chanting vocals in an unknown (to me) language, it is primal, raising hairs and producing shivers of joy. It's borderline hallucinogenic. Turn it up and dance around the house like a fool! A happy, happy fool.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
