Track One begins with a lovely big squelchy noise at the beginning of the album. Nice way to begin, a bit like the THX thing at the beginning of a movie, when it catches you off guard and you think "Wow, that's cool". This is a great, hyperactive intro and probably an indication of things to come.
Track 2 - Sound Of Kuduro is one of the songs of the year. It features M.I.A among others. It's huge, people, watch the fantastic video below and you'll see what I mean:
I'm singing along "One drop, two drop.."
Track 3 - Kuduro originates from Angola, a Portuguese speaking colony like Brazil (although Buraka Som Sistema are from Lisbon) so my mediocre ability in that language means that I know that this song is called "Here For You" and that the lyrics are not that important. But if you want to know, I think the MC is saying something about being from Brazil, but being in Europe and missing her homeland, something like that. It's a great rhythm she's rhyming over, proberly not the last time I'll say that.
Track 4 begins with a quote about the quality of Angolan diamonds, which will probably make my comments about the lyrics look a bit wrong.
The kuduro rhythm is not just fast, it is propulsive and doesn't let up. It makes for great club music, and I like great club music more at home nowadays, cause I'm lazy. DJ Shadow is playing in Seoul in a couple of days, and sure I like him, but I just can't be bothered to go. And clubbing alone is a bit weird anyway.
Track 5 has got some nice housey synth noises over the crazy rhythm and African chorus. It's a bit like this if it wasn't rubbish.
This album isn't letting up. I wonder if this track, which is pretty much an instrumental, is going to be the slow one. If so, this album will speed by at 130bpm.
Track 6 starts slow, all broken and brooding IDM style r'n'b beats. But somethings coming I can feel it...rave sounds...here it comes...afro rave anyone? I can see the strobes.
Track 7 is back to the more traditional kuduro sound, tight snare drum beats, catchy singalong chorus. This album is really up my street, as I don't have a very refined for palette, I mean I like acoustic troubadours and sensitive souls, but I can't resist a vomit inducing bassline. I'm the same with detective stories, get me every time.
Phew a little breather, acoustic music being played on a distant radio which comes to the fore as...
Track 8 begins. And the rhythm kicks in. I love the way this record combines modern club beats with more traditional African sounds. The previous sentence was pretty horrible, but it's true and they do it without heavyhandedness at all. I believe that this is a record that people in Luanda would dig this record as much as people in Shoreditch. Of course, I have no way of knowing this, but I feel it.
Track 9 is called New Africas Pt 1. There's a statement of intent if ever there was one. Oh, that's spooky, a narrator says "you are in London but it feels like Luanda or Lisbon." See, told you so.
Track 10 continues on, New Africas Pt 2. It's gone a bit darker, scary sounds abound. The beat kicks in, and it's heavy, as are the synths and spoken vocals.
Track 11 features my favourite use of a gun reloading since this. This is the most hip hop track on the album, it has the slow menace of...ahhh, I can't think of anyone. Maybe it's unique, or I'm lame-o.
Track 12 is the final track, so will it be out with a bang or something slower? It's a slower grime influenced and moody ending. It features Manchester's Virus Syndicate, so ends with a little English flavour.
And that's the end.
In conclusion, this is a very good record that tails off slightly in the last third, as it heads into darker territory. It's understandable though, as this kind of relentless party music is difficult to sustain over the course of a whole album, and they want to show off their musical chops. It's just that I love relentless party music, so I would have wouldn't have minded. Highly recommended, nonetheless.
Buy it here, and download the free mixtape here.
Track 2 - Sound Of Kuduro is one of the songs of the year. It features M.I.A among others. It's huge, people, watch the fantastic video below and you'll see what I mean:
I'm singing along "One drop, two drop.."
Track 3 - Kuduro originates from Angola, a Portuguese speaking colony like Brazil (although Buraka Som Sistema are from Lisbon) so my mediocre ability in that language means that I know that this song is called "Here For You" and that the lyrics are not that important. But if you want to know, I think the MC is saying something about being from Brazil, but being in Europe and missing her homeland, something like that. It's a great rhythm she's rhyming over, proberly not the last time I'll say that.
Track 4 begins with a quote about the quality of Angolan diamonds, which will probably make my comments about the lyrics look a bit wrong.
The kuduro rhythm is not just fast, it is propulsive and doesn't let up. It makes for great club music, and I like great club music more at home nowadays, cause I'm lazy. DJ Shadow is playing in Seoul in a couple of days, and sure I like him, but I just can't be bothered to go. And clubbing alone is a bit weird anyway.
Track 5 has got some nice housey synth noises over the crazy rhythm and African chorus. It's a bit like this if it wasn't rubbish.
This album isn't letting up. I wonder if this track, which is pretty much an instrumental, is going to be the slow one. If so, this album will speed by at 130bpm.
Track 6 starts slow, all broken and brooding IDM style r'n'b beats. But somethings coming I can feel it...rave sounds...here it comes...afro rave anyone? I can see the strobes.
Track 7 is back to the more traditional kuduro sound, tight snare drum beats, catchy singalong chorus. This album is really up my street, as I don't have a very refined for palette, I mean I like acoustic troubadours and sensitive souls, but I can't resist a vomit inducing bassline. I'm the same with detective stories, get me every time.
Phew a little breather, acoustic music being played on a distant radio which comes to the fore as...
Track 8 begins. And the rhythm kicks in. I love the way this record combines modern club beats with more traditional African sounds. The previous sentence was pretty horrible, but it's true and they do it without heavyhandedness at all. I believe that this is a record that people in Luanda would dig this record as much as people in Shoreditch. Of course, I have no way of knowing this, but I feel it.
Track 9 is called New Africas Pt 1. There's a statement of intent if ever there was one. Oh, that's spooky, a narrator says "you are in London but it feels like Luanda or Lisbon." See, told you so.
Track 10 continues on, New Africas Pt 2. It's gone a bit darker, scary sounds abound. The beat kicks in, and it's heavy, as are the synths and spoken vocals.
Track 11 features my favourite use of a gun reloading since this. This is the most hip hop track on the album, it has the slow menace of...ahhh, I can't think of anyone. Maybe it's unique, or I'm lame-o.
Track 12 is the final track, so will it be out with a bang or something slower? It's a slower grime influenced and moody ending. It features Manchester's Virus Syndicate, so ends with a little English flavour.
And that's the end.
In conclusion, this is a very good record that tails off slightly in the last third, as it heads into darker territory. It's understandable though, as this kind of relentless party music is difficult to sustain over the course of a whole album, and they want to show off their musical chops. It's just that I love relentless party music, so I would have wouldn't have minded. Highly recommended, nonetheless.
Buy it here, and download the free mixtape here.
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