Originally posted on Fat Planet.
DOWNLOAD: BURAKA SOM SISTEMA yah!
DOWNLOAD: DESCONHECIDO mi cola
DOWNLOAD: DJ BRANQUINHO danca da maluca
DOWNLOAD: FREDERIC GALLIANO – KUDURO SOUND SYSTEM: ate quando (feat. pai diesel)
if baile funk was the emerging sound of the last twelve months, then kuduro may well be the next. originating in the former portuguese colony of angola, it’s certainly not a new phenomenon. literally translated as “hard ass”, the genre first blossomed in the early 90s – its genesis has been claimed by a producer called tony amada, dubbed “angola’s grandmaster flash”. fusing local african instrumentation and rhythmic sensibilities with ragga, techno, hip hop and caribbean influences, kuduro retains the upfront party vibe of funk carioca, but jettisons miami bass in favour of 4-4 electronic production.
whilst amada’s own original aim might have simply been to integrate “the movements of jean-claude van damme” into his music (i kid you not), the sound nonetheless struck a chord in angola. starting life as a basic call to encourage female dancers to stick their arse in the air, ‘kuduro’ has developed significantly over the last fifteen years to the point where it has now taken wings and found a new lease of life outside africa.
the enchufada label is well head of the game in bringing kuduro to the masses. their central project, buraka som sistema, is two-parts portuguese, one-part angolan and hails from lisbon, a city that could well represent the next wave of the kuduro movement. their new e.p. ‘from buraka to the world’ is, for me, one of the most exciting releases of the year. kuduro is at the root of the e.p., but the band don’t allow that to inhibit their movements, opting to liberally drop more hard beats and breaks throughout. label boss kalaf angelo told fact magazine recently that kuduro was “free music that doesn’t need major labels to spread and become popular… it’s very demanding, very fast, very raw and very honest”. you can check the buraka som sistema clip on youtube and buy the e.p on both itunes and emusic.
also looking to break kuduro out of angola and portugal is frederic galliano. born in the south of france, galliano has long been interested in african music – most notably through his ‘african divas’ project. his new release, his fifth studio album, is titled ‘kuduro sound system’ – produced in luanda with dj kito da machina and a range of angolan mcs or ‘kudoristas’, available in november on his frikyiwa.com label.
photo by kaysha.