Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Congolese group Mbongwana Star was founded by former members of Staff Benda Bilili, a band centered around paraplegic street musicians from Kinshasa. While that band plays a buoyant, highly danceable variation on traditional soukous, sometimes incorporating reggae and R&B elements, and their debut album consisted of cleanly produced live performances, Mbongwana is a different beast altogether. Working in the studio with Dublin-born producer and musician Liam Farrell (Doctor L), who previously drummed in bands like Les Rita Mitsouko and worked with Tony Allen in the short-lived group Psyco on da Bus, Mbongwana Star created a dense, heavy studio production filled with psychedelic effects and distorted field recordings from the group's native city. The album was originally supposed to be titled From Kinshasa to the Moon, like the name of the opening track, but due to a miscommunication with their label, it ended up being truncated to the more general From Kinshasa. Though the title is accurate, it undersells how expansive and otherworldly the group's music is; the atmospheric production and cosmic synth textures do make it seem like they're beaming their music into outer space. "Nganshé" has a fast, skipping rhythm and spikes of treble-heavy guitars that slide in and out of the mix. "Masobélé" is the album's most party-ready funk jam, with layers of rough distortion countered by smooth guitar licks and sweet, searching vocals. "Malukayi" features the unmistakable electrified metal percussion of Kinshasa legends Konono No. 1, who greatly enhance the slightly hazy midtempo groove. "Suzanna" is the album's boisterous highlight, however, with a monstrous electronic beat steamrolling the dancefloor and joyous vocals calling across the world. Closing tune "1 Million C'Est Quoi?" is the most polished and precise selection on the album, but it's still funky and trippy. Mbongwana Star is easily one of the most futuristic groups associated with the Congotronics or Tradi-Modern scene, and their debut is a timeless, boundaryless experience.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 13,50€/month
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Théo Nzonza Nsutuvuidi, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Cubain Kabeya Tshipamgila, Composer - Cubain Kabeya, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Jean Claude Kamina Mulodi, Composer - Jean-Claude Kamina Mulodi, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Cubain Kabeya Tshipamgila, Composer - Cubain Kabeya, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Writer - Konono N°1, FeaturedArtist - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Augustin Makuntima Mawangu, Composer, Writer - Cubain Kabeya Tshipamgila, Composer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Théophile Nzonza Nsutuvuidi, Composer - Théo Nzonza Nsutuvuidi, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Liam Farrell, Composer - Doctor l, Producer, Mixer, Writer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Jean Claude Kamina Mulodi, Composer - Jean-Claude Kamina Mulodi, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Doctor l, Producer, Mixer - Coco Yakala Ngambali, Composer, Writer - Mbongwana Star, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Jean Claude Kamina Mulodi, Composer - Jean-Claude Kamina Mulodi, Writer
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Albumbeschreibung
Congolese group Mbongwana Star was founded by former members of Staff Benda Bilili, a band centered around paraplegic street musicians from Kinshasa. While that band plays a buoyant, highly danceable variation on traditional soukous, sometimes incorporating reggae and R&B elements, and their debut album consisted of cleanly produced live performances, Mbongwana is a different beast altogether. Working in the studio with Dublin-born producer and musician Liam Farrell (Doctor L), who previously drummed in bands like Les Rita Mitsouko and worked with Tony Allen in the short-lived group Psyco on da Bus, Mbongwana Star created a dense, heavy studio production filled with psychedelic effects and distorted field recordings from the group's native city. The album was originally supposed to be titled From Kinshasa to the Moon, like the name of the opening track, but due to a miscommunication with their label, it ended up being truncated to the more general From Kinshasa. Though the title is accurate, it undersells how expansive and otherworldly the group's music is; the atmospheric production and cosmic synth textures do make it seem like they're beaming their music into outer space. "Nganshé" has a fast, skipping rhythm and spikes of treble-heavy guitars that slide in and out of the mix. "Masobélé" is the album's most party-ready funk jam, with layers of rough distortion countered by smooth guitar licks and sweet, searching vocals. "Malukayi" features the unmistakable electrified metal percussion of Kinshasa legends Konono No. 1, who greatly enhance the slightly hazy midtempo groove. "Suzanna" is the album's boisterous highlight, however, with a monstrous electronic beat steamrolling the dancefloor and joyous vocals calling across the world. Closing tune "1 Million C'Est Quoi?" is the most polished and precise selection on the album, but it's still funky and trippy. Mbongwana Star is easily one of the most futuristic groups associated with the Congotronics or Tradi-Modern scene, and their debut is a timeless, boundaryless experience.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:47:30
- Main artists: Mbongwana Star
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: World Circuit
- Genre: Wereldmuziek Afrika
© 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company ℗ 2015 World Circuit Limited, a BMG Company
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.