BUTU

KOKOKO!, the collective renowned for its daring sound, experimentations, rolling rhythms, stabbing melodies and powerful live shows, comes back with a more electronic, upbeat sound, inspired by the nights of Kinshasa, DR Congo. BUTU means ‘the night’ in Lingala. The album’s idea is a deep and intense dive into the night of Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo, a noisy 17-million strong, chaotic and amazing city.

All year long, the night comes really fast in Kinshasa because of its geographic location, the city being situated near the equator, in the heart of Africa. Street vendors, having become invisible or indistinguishable, now need to be heard with shouting and drumming, distorted megaphone loops triggered by SD memory cards - it is the prelude to the night’s show.

Taking influences from the rich Congolese music, with a natural revolted tone, and with touches of Kuduro or Kwaito, in its own electronic post junk sound and sometimes distorted way, ‘BUTU’ is made for letting go, for trance, for expressing frustration and anger sometimes, losing yourself. It is busy like the streets, it is the capital’s night soundtrack - loud, energetic, surprising, driving, eccentric, intense like Kinshasa.