Inventor Vol 1

Born in Luanda’s Barrio do Rangel, DJ Znobia began experimenting with audio production tool FruityLoops in the early 90s, mixing traditional Angolan music (semba, kilapanga and kazukuta), with electronic beats and sampled vocals to create Lusophone Africa’s most infectious and in-demand dance floor sounds: kuduro and tarraxinha. It’s thought he produced thousands of tracks between the late 90s and mid-00s, all while a brutal civil war gripped Angola.

This 11-track compilation is the first of a four-volume Znobia retrospective to be released on Kampala’s Nyege Nyege Tapes.

Running from high-octane kuduro to the slower, more sensual tarraxinha, the tracklisting offers highlights from both of Znobia’s trademark genres. On the kuduro side, stand-outs include the wonky electronics of ‘Wo’, the propulsive rhythms of ‘Tirou Ponto (feat Nakobeta)’, and ‘Zambinamina’, a take on Golden Sounds’ ‘Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)’, with potent vocals from Puto Prata. For tarraxinha – the percussion-led cousin of kizomba – opener ‘Marimba’ kicks things off with AutoTuned vocals and gently stomping drums, while lead single ‘Piquena’ closes the show with sultry singing and suggestive samples. While not the most cohesive listen at times, Inventor Vol 1 offers a solid grounding in one of Africa’s most influential and inventive musical artists of the last 30 years.