Mbongwana Star is a new musical force straight out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An extraordinary band that seamlessly weaves hypnotic rhythmic patterns of African music into post-punk aesthetic.
The eerie combination is the result of a creative encounter between Coco Ngambali and Theo Nzonza, ex-members of the acclaimed Staff Benda Bilili, who formed Mbongwana Star along with younger musicians, and Liam Farrell, aka Doctor L, once the drummer with Les Rita Mitsouko and more recently a producer on the Parisian hip-hop and electronic scenes.
Their joint effort defies all expectations with its distorted, metallic sound, drenched in feedback and lo-fi electronics, to form uniquely Euro-African sonic bricolage.
*
