12.09.2015 07:57 AM

Mbongwana Star – Malukayi (feat. Konono No.1)

You must listen to this. You must.

Matt Galloway was playing it on CBC’s Metro Morning as I came in today. I asked him who it was. Here’s what he read to us:

“In 2015, no piece of music so transfixed me as Mbongwana Star’s “Malukayi”. It summons an entire landscape. It moves like weather. Mbongwana Star is a group formed by two Congolese men in their 50s: Coco Ngambali and Theo Nsituvuidi, former members of Staff Benda Billi, who play music from their wheelchairs.”

This song is incredible. It recalls some of the ambient stuff I (secretly, usually) love: Public Image’s Radio 4, Pere Ubu’s Blow Daddy-o, the Liars’ Be Quiet Mr. Heart Attack. And anything by Wendy Carlos, going back to when I was 16, when he was Walter.

Check it out. And thanks, Metro Morn.

2 Comments

  1. Maps Onburt says:

    I usually love African music – especially their harmonies but truthfully I just kept wishing someone would answer the damn phone on this one! We agree on John Lennon though… I was 90 miles away from you at Carelton living in residence at Queen’s in my first year when he died. It rang through our residence like a shotgun. We had a guy who wore Lennon tee shirts all the time (even before he was shot) and did the whole granny glasses thing too. The guy nearly fell apart when he heard about it so don’t be too hard on that other fan that wore the t-shirt the next day. He was probably similarly heartbroken.

  2. Luke says:

    I quite like this.

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