''Fongola'' is the debut album of Congolese experimental electronic pop musical group Kokoko!, released 5 July 2019 by Transgressive Records. The album is made with a combination of instruments made from junk and electronic instruments.

Background

Kokoko! was formed in 2016 in

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...

, brought together by French musician Débruit (Xavier Thomas), their producer. Between 2016 and 2018, the group toured worldwide. In 2017, the group released their first single ''Tokoliana'' (the final track of ''Fongola''), which brought them attention from major media publications such as Time. Kokoko! is known for their use of instruments made of junk, metal scrap, and wood, combined with electronic elements, to create their sound. Their lyrics are in Kikongo,

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, Lingala, and

Swahili Swahili may refer to: * Swahili language, a Bantu language official in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and widely spoken in the African Great Lakes * Swahili people, an ethnic group in East Africa * Swahili culture Swahili culture is the culture of ...

Music and composition

The sound of ''Fongola'' comes from Kokoko!'s combination of improvised instruments (including percussion instruments made from bottles and a three-stringed guitar) and Thomas's electronic synths. The group's singer was Makara Bianko, and the instruments were created by Dido Oweke, Boms Bomolo, and Love Lokombe. The album was recorded in makeshift studios. The group cites their influences in their music as the sounds of the city of Kinshasa. AllMusic describes their sound as a "fascinating mix of rugged lo-fi beats, relentless grooves, rousing vocal interplay, and kitchen-sink cacophony that sounds like nothing else being made in Africa or any other continent." '' DIY'' described the music as "punk disguised as dance". When Kokoko! first announced ''Fongola'', they released its third track, "Buka Dansa", to the public. On 2 July 2019, they released the tenth track, "Kitoko".

Reception

The album released to rave reviews. Many reviewers took special notice to the sound of the second track, "Azo Toke". The album was included in NPR's list of the top 10 albums of July, and on Bandcamp Daily's list of "essential releases". London in Stereo described it as a "must have".

''Fongola Instrumentals''

In 2021, Kokoko! announced ''Fongola Instrumentals'', which was released on 5 February. For the release of the instrumental version of the album, the group built eight "playable sleeves".

Track listing

References

{{Reflist 2019 albums Transgressive Records albums Kokoko! albums Culture of Kinshasa