Watch Congotronics International’s live video for title track ‘Where’s The One?’

Photo: Ed Rodrigez

Congotronics International announced last month the release of a new collaborative album called Where’s The One?, featuring 21 concert recordings and studio tracks. The mighty supergroup comprising members of Konono Nº1, Kasai Allstars, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, and Skeletons’ Matthew Mehlan, had previously whetted our appetite with two thrilling singles, ‘Banza Banza’ and ‘Beyond The 7th Bend’. Ahead of the album’s release on April 29th through Crammed Discs, they give us today a new taste from the album with the title track, an exhilarating song featuring vocals in Songye language by Kasai Allstars and in English by Matt Mehlan [Skeletons], and also additional vocals by Molina, Deerhoof’s Satomi Matsuzaki and Wildbirds & Peacedrums’ Mariam Wallentin. The single is offered with a fittingly thrilling live video filmed at Roskilde Festival in 2011. Check it out below.

In other related news, Kasai Allstars will perform a one-off collaborative live show with Hot Chip titled ‘Hot Congotronics’ as part of this year’s Grace Jones-curated Meltdown Festival at London’s Southbank Centre on June 14th.

Congotronics International announce new album Where’s The One?

With a phenomenonal cast of musicians that includes members of Konono Nº1, Kasai Allstars, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, and Skeletons’ Matthew Mehlan, Congotronics International are nothing short of a mighty supergroup. April 29th will see the release of their new collaborative album, Where’s The One?, through Crammed Discs. In the works for eleven years, the album brings together 19 stellar musicians from four continents, who first recorded and played together for their 2011 Congotronics vs. Rockers tour. Featuring 21 concert recordings and studio tracks, Where’s The One? finds the multicultural ensemble explore and develop new idioms out of traditional Congolese music and experimental forms of rock and electronic music.

Ahead of the album’s release, Congotronics International are whetting our appetite with two thrilling singles, ‘Banza Banza’ and ‘Beyond The 7th Bend’. Take a listen now.


Mixtape #129


Ghent trio Steiger took us by storm with their exhilarating music, both composed and improvised, amalgamating various genres and influences. A mainstay in the Belgian jazz scene with an adventurous inclination, the outfit of Gilles Vandecaveye, Kobe Boon and Simon Raman sit at the intersections of jazz, rock, pop, classical and electronic music. They are constantly in search of exciting new sounds, and their recent album, The New Lady Llama, is clear proof of that. So we’re ecstatic to start August with the superb mixtape they put together for us, offering a glimpse of their wide range of influences. Dive in below!

  1. Múm – The Ballad Of The Broken Birdie Records [TMT Entertainment / Tugboat Records]
  2. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Solari [Commmons]
  3. Tapes Cuts Tapes – Petrol Blue [Heavenhotel]
  4. Espen Reinertsen – Tvilepause [SusannaSonata]
  5. Andrey Petrov – Office Romance Soundtrack
  6. Philip Glass – Koyaanisqatsi [Island Records]
  7. Deerhoof – Criminals of the Dream [Polyvinyl / Upset! The Rhythm]
  8. The Space Lady – Humdinger [Night School]
  9. Tim Hecker – That World [Kranky]
  10. Sea Urchin – Mish Hata’ref tesHa [Bokeh Versions]
  11. Coma World – No Focus [Byrd Out]
  12. Oneohtrix Point Never feat. Iggy Pop – The Pure and the Damned [Warp]

Mixtape #118

A tremendously talented multi-instrumentalist and composer, Julie Carpenter‘s musical involvements include performing, recording and collaborating with an array of bands and projects, including Brian Jonestown Massacre, Eels and The Autumns, amongst others. Her move to Joshua Tree from LA, paired with her orchestral experience and electronica influences, gave birth to Less Bells, her sublime ambient orchestral project. She has just released her second album, Mourning Jewelry, an utterly engrossing and beautiful record that is both ominous and melancholic as well as contemplative and joyful. So it’s with immense pleasure that we present the mixtape Less Bells cooked up for us. Press play and let the magic happen.

  1. Bulgarian State Radio Choir – Polegnala e Todora [Elektra Nonesuch]
  2. Magnet & Paul Giovanni – Willow’s Song [Trunk / Silva Screen]
  3. The Lickets – Crowd of Pimps in the Rain [International Corporation]
  4. The Books – Take Time [Tomlab / Temporary Residence]
  5. Welcome to The Heart of Gold – The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy radio play
  6. Marshweed – Je t’adore, Fyodor
  7. Insides – Bent Double [4AD / Guernica]
  8. BBC Radiophonic Workshop – Sutekh Time Tunnel – Pyramid of Mars (Dr. Who)
  9. Love – Andmoreagain [Elektra]
  10. Crime & the City Solution – Six Bells Chime [Mute]
  11. Deerhoof – Mothball the Fleet [joyful Noise / Polyvinyl]
  12. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over [Scepter Records]
  13. Alvvays – Forget About Life [Polyvinyl / Transgressive]
  14. Pauline Oliveros – Crossing the Sands [hatOLOGY]
  15. Dorian Wood – Glassellalia [Antigen]

Mixtape #111

With immense technical ability and creativity, Alexander Noice is one of the most interesting contemporary musicians out there. Over the last decade, Noice has played a vital role in the LA music scene and abroad, performing, recording and collaborating with a slew of artists and projects, including his own ensembles Falsetto Teeth and NOICE. A phenomenal composer, guitarist, producer and bandleader drawing from an amalgam of genres, from art-rock and jazz to minimalism, opera and electronic music, Noice released an exhilarating and inventive self-titled album last year, which made it to our Album Picks of 2019. So we’re ecstatic to catch a glimpse of his wide range of influences in this month's mixtape!

  1. The Zombies – This Will Be Our Year [Epic]
  2. Thelonius Monk – Brilliant Corners [Riverside]
  3. Deerhoof – Milking [Free Porcupine Society / ATP Recordings]
  4. Minutemen – Viet Nam [SST Records]
  5. Ornette Colenman – Folk Tale [XL Recordings / Interscope Records
  6. Charlie Parker – Kim [Clef Records]
  7. Talking Heads – Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) [Sire]
  8. Nino Rota – O Venezia, Venaga, Venusia [Cam]
  9. Stuttgart Vocal Ensemble & Rupert Huber – Christian Wolff In Cambridge [Hänssler Classic]
  10. Charles Mingus – Solo Dancer [Impulse!]
  11. M.I.A. – Steppin Up [XL Recordings / Interscope Records]
  12. Michael Nyman Band and Orchestra – The Draughtsman’s Contract [Venture]
  13. Broadcast – America’s Boy [Warp]
  14. Cornelius – New Music Machine [Matador]
  15. Dirty Projectors – Not Having Found [Western Vinyl]
  16. Philip Glass – River Run [Virgin]
  17. Fugazi – Turnover [Dischord]
  18. Iggy Pop – Funtime [RCA]
  19. John Coltrane – Configuration [Impulse!]
  20. David Bowie – What In The World [RCA]
  21. Arthur Russell – Being It [Upside Records / Rough Trade]
  22. Leadbelly – Green Corn [Folkways Records]

Mixtape #83

The Evil Usses are a band like no other. Their wild and exhilarating live shows flow fluidly between thoughtful composition and improvisation as they venture into a dense jungle of sounds and influences, clearing their singular path with sharp melodies and heavy grooves. All of this, as well as the wide dynamics and playful humour of this unique Bristolian quartet can somehow be found in the mix they made for us this month. Press play and enjoy!


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