LP / Cassette / CD / DL
7 July 2017
7.5 / 10
Congo alternative rocker release their new album.
The difficult second album from Jupiter & Okwess sees
them move up a gear or three from 2013s Hotel Univers and attracts the
attention of Damon Albarn and Warren Ellis (The Bad Seeds) who contribute in an
album that is lively and incredibly entertaining.
Jupiter, born Jean-Pierre Bokondji now approaching his
fifty-forth birthday was a latecomer to the recording music scene. As a child and teenager he spent his life
growing up in East Berlin where his father worked for the Congolese Embassy but
at the age of 17 he returned to Kinshasa, his original hometown, in 1979.
Heavily influenced by James Brown, The Jackson 5, The Temptations
and Kool And The Gang, Jupiter combines the funk and soul sound with the
attributes from Congolese rumba and more Western influences. The resulting sound is one quite unique and
worthy of calling his own. In the early
80s, Jupiter joined Famous Black who soon became Bongo Folk and latterly
Okwess.
From the opening percussion and deep guitar fuzz of Hello come
laughter and a chorus of voices in a moonstomp style track. Its attention grabbing to say the least, it’s
a full sound and producer Marc-Antoine Moreau deserves a name check for his
efforts. The guitar gnarl is a wonderful sound, it grips the listener and adds
a grit and rawness to the sound. There’s
an almost Gorillaz hint attempting to break free and whether the appearance of
Albarn is responsible for that, or whether Jupiter chose him because he thought
he would accompany the sound is open to question. Albarn contributes keys to Musonsu which is
one of the more commercially accessible tracks on the album whilst retaining
organic roots.
Ofakombolo could be Fela Kute with a James Brown funky riff
as it speeds along at tremendous pace with some amazing musicianship and
Emikele Ngamo has a near ska feel. There
are tracks that have a more authentic feel like Nkoy, an almost ambient piece
and, Nzele Momi which once more touches the afro-funk style.
Kin Sonic is a worthy listen blending Congolese heritage
with modern day styles (and a bit of 70s funk thrown in for good measure) and
will grace any music fans collection within the opening listens.
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