- Born on old school computers in Angola, Kuduro genre is low-tech, high-energy lower West African dance music driven on free samples, cracked software, and percussive patterning. -
Buraka Som Sistema are a collective of old-world and new-world technologies and cross-border recording and vocal artists. Mainly based in Lisbon, Portugal, the flavour of Kuduro meets HiFi equipment and many Angolan migrants in the suburbs and the city itself. Add in production skills from M.I.A. and king of Kuduro DJ Znobia, plus Angolan MCs, - and this cross-border sound cult is the only true international group fit for the title.
Watch this great interview from XLR8R TV when BSS were in the US for the first time.
Black Diamond is the full debut album from Buraka Som Sistema which they're touring currently.
Here's the intense video the first released single Sound of Kuduro which saw a big range of producers and vocal talent. Plus, check out the dancing - The kids got moves!
As for their sound - check out these two very different mixes created some great zines. DJ'd rather than live, the mixes sample Buraka Som Sistema's progressive sounds and include a bit of outside material.
theFader Mixtape
Pitchfork Media Mixtape
Both links follow to the original posts and come with tracklistings. Even as a pale Canadian the warm bass and upbeat rythems get played quite often. I probably watched that documentary 20 or 30 times while writing this post, and would have put more effort into it had I not gotten sick. But in any way, watch Buraka Som Sistema and other international collaborative groups. They're bringing music from shadowed cultures and forefronting it to wide audiences with some of the best vocalists (Sabarosa's annunciation is wild!) and production men and women without the need of borders, aside from cultural differences. But spice up the cold months and get ready to shake! BSS is truly an international act.
Kalemba/Wegue, Wegue - great live performance turned music video for their 2nd single which is #2 on the Portuguese charts at the time of writing.
PS. Happy Birthday to the late Bob Marley! <3 One Love!
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