Where’s the One?

Kinshasa’s Congotronic axis meet chosen international artists and create an epic, euphoric mash-up celebrating the tenth anniversary of a historic collaborative tour. This is a very special album, joyously filled with the spellbinding anarchic dance trance of fabled Congotronic bands Konono No 1 and Kasai Allstars in collaboration with an international cast of luminary artists: Juana Molina, Deerhoof, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Skeletons’ Matt Mehlan and Vincent Kenis from Crammed Discs. It was recorded and produced before, during and over the next decade following the 2011 Congotronics Vs Rockers tour. That legendary adventure featured that starry cast in the form of an ephemeral 19-piece band, in response to the buzz of wild adoration for the addictive unique sound of the Congotronics bands from audiences and artists across the world.

This expansive album got its title from the problems the international brigade had with Congolese counting and, in turn, with the Congotronic difficulties with the 7/4 time signature of Juana Molina’s exceptional song ‘Resila’. But as Matt Mehlan says in the beautifully presented sleeve notes, ‘the truth of the magic was exactly that… we were there to support their wonderful playing and singing with… unusual new parts for their music and vice versa… We were drawing the line while being drawn by it. There is no ‘one’.’

There are so many high points on this inspirational album. Throughout, it remains an exploration for all the artists, from the ecstatically hyperactive Congotronic noise tracks like ‘Banza Banza’ or ‘Kule Kule Redux’ to the more placid introverted delights of ‘Mama’s Way/Above the Tree Line’ or ‘Beyond the 7th Bend’. There’s never even a whisper of a weak blend of fusion soup anywhere on the album, only the strong blast of a fresh musical tradewind, as inventive artists blow each other away.