Montparnasse Musique
Archeology
Real World Records
Out Now
A Paris train station and a chance encounter between Algerian-French DJ/Producer Nadjib Ben Bella and South African DJ Aero Manyelo led to the formation of Montparnasse Musique and the release of Archeology. Fusing the past and the future, their explorations of African music, from the sounds of the North to those of the South, found them combining the cyclical guitars and trance-like polyrhythms, especially those of the Congo, with synthesized House beats, burbling Acid tones and vapours of Techno from South Africa to create something merging trance and dance.
Featuring collaborations with members of the Kasai Allstars, Konono No1, Mbongwana Star and Basokin, it’s easy to get lost in the grooves as you’re telepathically transported on unimagined cultural pathways.
Singing in Lingala, Muparue features Cubain Kabeya singing of the liberated women of the Congo, “Eh, mama, you are not tired/ You can dance all night, every night.” All the while, the drums percolate, along with several vocal layers going on at the same time. Almost exclusively rhythmic, the track bounces along, a dance celebrating their liberation.
Opening the album with electrified machinegun-like volleys that fade into something more gentle, Bonsoir offers loving hellos and goodbyes in French. The guitars play old straight phrases, enabling one to see the connections between old and new. Through the juxtapositions at the heart of this album, Manyelo and Bella offer glimpses into how this music stays relevant.
Mengu Waku, who sings with Konono No. 1, takes the lead on Malele and Makonda, while Muambuyi of Kasai Allstars sings in the minority Tshiluba language of the birds and animals of Kasai. Accompanied by Mopero Mupemba of Basokin, high and low-frequency ranges consistently get filled, leaving the mid-range open to the singers.
The trance-like qualities of the music cannot be understated. As a listener, one gets lost in the repetition at the heart of Montparnasse Musique. By combining these elements with both the overcharged low end and the vocal qualities of the various singers, they deliver a supercharged sense of excitement as a new form takes shape.
Liberating old forces and combining them with the new, Montparnasse Musique have unleashed a giant of an album with Archeology. Investigate at the risk of being swept up in an irresistible new wave of music.