Kinshasa Succursale

Kinshasa Succursale

Congo-born Belgian emcee Baloji returns to his roots on 2012’s Kinshasha Succursale. On a version of “Le Jour D’Apres/Siku Ya Baadaye (Independence Cha-Cha)” by the legendary soukous band Grand Kalle, Royce Mbumba’s sweet vocals and Baloji’s harsh flow make a striking contrast. “Karibu Ya Bintou” is graced by Konono No. 1’s delightful amplified kilembes (thumb pianos) and percussion. “Congo Eza Ya Biso (Le Secours Populaire),” with the lovely La Chorale de la Grace, is an explosive groove of cycling guitars and rumbling drums. The reggae-inflected track “Kyniwa-Kyniwa” features guest Bebson De La Rue, while “Genese 89” finds Baloji intoning in a spare percussion-and-backup-vocals setting. Old-school R&B and Marvin Gaye get a nod on “Nazongi Ndako (Part 1),” which spotlights the vocals of Amp Fiddler. The bonus tracks include a reworking of “Karibu Ya Bintou” and a remix of “Independence Cha Cha” that features appearances by Ghanaian-American rapper Blitz the Ambassador and others.

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