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Congotronix

williedynamitewilliedynamite 263 Posts
edited October 2005 in Strut Central
Somewhat new to the site, so apologies if this has already been posted... Reminds me of early dub in concept, but has a unique, pounding low-fi electro sound. For those that don't know, for the past 10 years there's been a slow-burning war in DR Congo that ignited in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. It's been the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, having taken 4 million lives. And the numbers keep climbing. In the eastern Congo, 1000 people die per day. This music is from the west, where things are a bit more stable, but still, the hectic sound seems to echo the country's state of affairs...Here's a track:http://s35.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0MDLTWTMU6NTI1RIP2OS9KF9B9And a link to their site:http://www.crammed.be/craworld/crw27/e/indexx.htmpeace.

  Comments

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    These guys are incredible. Built amplification for their marimbas out of junk. I read they were coming to the 'sco in November, I might have to make the trip out.

    They have a great video on the website.
  • Mongo_SladeMongo_Slade 999 Posts

    dude, you mind re-upping the link? i'm getting a "blocked" message.

    thanks.
  • williedynamitewilliedynamite 263 Posts
    Here's the new link... Sorry about the old...

    For those of you who slept and let this thread slip to page two, now you have a second chance.
    If there's a demand, there's other tracks in the stable I can cut loose...

    http://s26.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1LDGAH1J8GZGU2QYI58H6VNCZ4

    realheadz:


  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    Here's a video I downloaded from the site...

    http://s8.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1C9J59HYOFV9M1Z59SD5F2WRLV

    SF, NY, Pittsburg, Ohio etc. better be checking them out when they come to your town. I only could wish then came to LA...I'd be right there.
  • williedynamitewilliedynamite 263 Posts
    Just trying to keep this shit from slipping off page 1... Don't sleep on it.
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    I think there's about 3 of us that are keeping this one from slippin.
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    I would really like to hear this but I can't listen at work. Do they have anything on CD.
  • tallbobsmoketallbobsmoke 715 Posts
    I'm going to that show in SF for sure. Sounds like they've got those things running through some sort of flanger or what not.

    Thanks for finding that video Asprin.
  • dCastillodCastillo 1,963 Posts
    I would really like to hear this but I can't listen at work. Do they have anything on CD.

    yes. and now there's 2 volumes of congotronix

    really feeling this stuff.
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts

    Thanks for finding that video Asprin.

    np...I enjoyed browsing through that site.
  • meshmesh 925 Posts
    wird up. thanks for posting this.

    i am enjoying listening to this.
  • Mongo_SladeMongo_Slade 999 Posts
    I read they were coming to the 'sco in November.

    Any details on date/venue?

    That soundclip is sick. Sounds like some Philip Cohran frankiphone steez minus some of the jazz trappings.
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    SF Jazz Fest

    http://www.crammed.be/live/index.htm
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts
    I'm going to see Konono at S.O.B.'s tonight...has anyone caught them on this tour yet?
  • asprinasprin 1,765 Posts
    I was actually planning on catching them when they came by the Knitting factory here but somehow forgot about it on the day of...
  • troublemantroubleman 1,928 Posts
    I was actually planning on catching them when they came by the Knitting factory here but somehow forgot about it on the day of...
    I caught the show. Shit was literally . Just put me in a trance for an hour. They would break down into just drums and bass (thumb piano) every once in a while and people went crazy. They had some sound trouble for a while, but they fixed it pretty fast. I highly recomend seeing them if you get a chance.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts




    WOULD YOU POST THE SAMPLE AGAIN?

    peace.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts




    WOULD YOU POST THE SAMPLE AGAIN?

    peace.
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts
    I was actually planning on catching them when they came by the Knitting factory here but somehow forgot about it on the day of...
    I caught the show. Shit was literally
    . Just put me in a trance for an hour. They would break down into just drums and bass (thumb piano) every once in a while and people went crazy. They had some sound trouble for a while, but they fixed it pretty fast. I highly recomend seeing them if you get a chance.

    I saw them last night at S.O.B's and it was really good. the down side was that it wasn't loud enough for the entire set. Their recordings conveyed to me a noisier affair but the club's PA system was much louder for the DJ who was spinning records before the show. On the plus side--I was standing next to Eye from the Boredoms for the entire show! --[blatant fan-boy facemelt]
  • NeverEnoughMoneyNeverEnoughMoney 300 Posts
    Saw them last night at SOBs too. The son of the founding member was . He traded instruments with the founder (who is also his father) half way through the show (in the middle of a song) and it was obvious that he brought a nice flavor to the songs (playing against the main melody, riffing, etc...). He looked grumpy the whole time, but at the end he appeared happy.

    Interesting to see a group of performers so unaccustomed to performing in the US (or, vice versa, an audience so unaccustomed to seeing non-US performers). They couldn't really verbally communicate and the audience wasn't quite sure how to read them. Very dope show.
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts

    Interesting to see a group of performers so unaccustomed to performing in the US (or, vice versa, an audience so unaccustomed to seeing non-US performers). They couldn't really verbally communicate and the audience wasn't quite sure how to read them. Very dope show.

    Yeah, people would just start cheering for anything that the guy would say even though no one could understand what he was talking about. Overall a great show except for when they started accepting dollars from the audience and my pretentious, Strand Books employee friend turns to me and says "That's kind of crass." I felt like smacking him.
  • rape_donkeysrape_donkeys 615 Posts
    when they started accepting dollars from the audience

    you didn't think that was the slightest bit strange?

    also strange: megaphones not turned on... sorry but that show was pretty boring overall, and i'm saying that as someone who loves the record.
  • awallawall 673 Posts
    when they started accepting dollars from the audience

    you didn't think that was the slightest bit strange?

    also strange: megaphones not turned on... sorry but that show was pretty boring overall, and i'm saying that as someone who loves the record.
    did they just use their own system or did they mic it and run through the PA?
  • rape_donkeysrape_donkeys 615 Posts
    everything mic'ed and ran through the P.A. that whole overdriven sound is lost in the live show.
  • awallawall 673 Posts
    everything mic'ed and ran through the P.A. that whole overdriven sound is lost in the live show.
    bummer

    p.s. my dad is all about these guys
  • jazzercismjazzercism 838 Posts
    when they started accepting dollars from the audience

    you didn't think that was the slightest bit strange?

    also strange: megaphones not turned on... sorry but that show was pretty boring overall, and i'm saying that as someone who loves the record.

    The sound was definitely much softer than on the album. Part of why I love the album is that the thumb pianos are over-miked and there's a great piercing quality to the sound. The show was much tamer 'world music' by comparison and a bit of a disappointment but definitely not bad.
    I still don't know what was going on with the money being passed up so I'm reserving judgment.
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