This week on What’s Up Africa, Ikenna highlights the irony of Portugal asking their former colony, Angola for economic assistance. He also caught on to a story OKA brought you earlier this week about the South Korean popstar, K.Will coming back from Africa with his hair braided. Lastly, don’t miss Ikenna swaying along to some East African gospel music called Malebo – nothing makes us happier on this Friday afternoon.
In Mozambique, Stewart Sukuma is everywhere. This singer, producer, TV host, and commercial pitchman is one of Mozambique’s better-known faces. Sukuma’s music blends an Afro-pop-inspired sound with the Afro-Latin Marrabenta genre of his beloved Mozambique. His latest hit, “Xitchuketa Marrabenta,” pays homage to the classic Mozambican rhythm which was preserved through the war for independence from Portugal by artists such as Fany Pfumo, Wazimbo, and Ghorwane.
Today marks the North American release of Buraka Som Sistema‘s sophomore LP. In commemoration, the crew have put the entire album up for listen. Stream the electronic/kuduro infested Komba over at Spin/AOL now and watch the music video for lead single “(We Stay) Up All Night” below.
Angolan/Portuguese DJ Mpula named his production project Batida after “the pirate compilations that circulate through the streets of Luanda.” Daily tapes, or batidas, are passed down from the musseke (ghetto) to taxi drivers, who then disseminate the artists’ sounds throughout the city. Seems apt that the producer/spinner is spreading kuduro and kizomba sounds to a larger realm under the same moniker.
In this Yumbala Mixtape, Batida streamlines through his reknowned sunshine rhythms and 60s semba guitar samples, crossing paths along the way with contemporaries Buraka Som Sistema and DRC Music. Stream and download the mix below, and buy Batida’s “Yumbala” single over at Ghetto Bassquake!
Batida’s Yumbala Mixtape by okayafrica
New hour-long mix from Portugal/Angola beatsmiths Buraka Som Sistema. E-Radio Enchufada Mixtape #25 strays a bit (no too far) from the crew’s typical kuduro leanings, opting for a more straightforward house progression. It features cuts from Diplo, Africa Hitech, Chris Brown, and a Caspa remix of Buraka’s own “Hangover (Bababa).” Grab Komba LP, out now via Enchufada!
E-Radio#25 – BURAKA SOM SISTEMA by enchufada
Tracklist
01. Hackman – Close
02. Voxels – Last Wrong
03. Savage Skulls – Lorimer
04. ??? – One Love (Riva Starr Remix)
05. Oui Wack – Possessed
06. Mastiksoul & Buraka Som Sistema – Sabalo
07. Modek – Mumps (French Fries Remix)
08. Gregor Salto – Paris Luanda
09. Diplo & Oliver Twizt – GO
10. Cutty Ranks – Limb By Limb (Realize Bootleg)
11. J Kenzo – Let It Move
12. Champion – Lighter
13. Woz – Seen
14. Buraka Som Sistema – Hypnotized
15. Poirier – Vivendo Juntos
16. Kry Wolf – Shakedown
17. Matta – Turning Tricks
18. Buraka Som Sistema – Hangover (Bababa) (Caspa Remix)
19. Requake – Waterdrops
20. Africa Hitech – Out In The Streets
21. Fresh – Arkanoid
22. Chris Brown – Look At Me Now
Young Luandan producer NaZaretH propped into our radar recently for his remix of Batida‘s “Yumbala.” In Aegyptus, he teams up with Lisbon’s Roulet for a joint EP that adds an ominous Western-electronic touch to the relentless percussions of kuduro. A Buraka Som Sistema and Batida enthusiast, NaZaretH “describes that his darker take on the sound resonates with the emotions of the Angolan civil war as much as it does with the rattling bass bins in the club.” Stream the 6-song Aegyptus EP below.
This new clip for Buraka Som Sistema‘s synth-flanked kuduro banger “(We Stay) Up All Night” plays like a triptych of sorts, panning three notable scenarios: a shot of the Portuguese/Angolan producers spinning a Boiler Room-like party, LED-lit close-ups of featured singers Blaya and Roses Garbor, and a rotating cast of scantily clad girls (and muscular dudes) swerving in front of their living room webcams. Peep past-collaborator Diplo‘s cameo at the two-minute mark. “(We Stay) Up All Night” is the first single off Buraka’s long-coming Komba LP, due Oct 31 via Enchufada.
Kuduro enthusiasts Buraka Som Sistema take a(nother) step towards the club floor with “(We Stay) Up All Night,” a synth-flanked Portuguese/English ode to, well, partying. But Buraka’s J-Wow insists the track is about much more than 4AM ragers, he explains: “[the song] started as a dedication to all the freaks, geeks, and nerds who stay up all night on the Internet, on Facebook, Twitter, iChat and so on, but also in clubs, raves, concerts and parties all over the world.” So there you have it, a globalized kuduro-meets-Euro electronic jam for an all-encompassing, nerd and raver audience. Buraka’s upcoming Komba LP drops October 31 via Enchufada.
(We Stay) Up All Night feat. Blaya & Roses Gabor by burakasomsistema
Generation Bass posted this Kuduro remix of Manu Chao’s “Clandestino” and brings his celebrated sound into a contemporary light. Right now every kid is listening to bass music and so they learn about legends through remixes. This particular remix is in the style of the spastic Angolan sound know as Kuduro, and in this case comes fully equipped with ballistic bass oscillation- “Marijuana Illegal” is the concept that seems to excite Manchester based remixer KJs the most. Kuduro is the product of a cross pollination of genres like hip-hop, house, and traditional Angolan rhythms, and is mostly made and consumed in its home in Angola, as well as Lisbon, Portugal due to the large population of Angolan immigrants. Here’s to the past!
Manu Chao – Clandestino (KJs remix) by KJs
Video: Throes & The Shine ‘Batida’
Portugal via Angolan duo The Shine get some distorted MIDI and guitar backing from Porto’s Throes in “Batida” (above) and the older “Wild Rainbows” (below). The two camps combine to create aptly/simply labeled “kuduro rock” music. During its best moments, we really feel the genre concoction. At its worst, our inner ears are left a bit confused. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. (via TB)