Konono No.1
with Appleblim + Bass Clef + Ashowka
(Fri 3rd Aug 2007 / 8pm / £10 adv)
"The street has its own uses for technology," Neuromancer author William Gibson famously declared.
Konono No.1, Appleblim and Bass Clef nail that and then dance with it to glorious effect. Konono No1 are from the border between Congo and Angola. They are a band that blisters dancefloors, speakers and makes for a euphoric sound. A village band, with a long lineage, that fuse traditional African Bazombo trance music with hand-built electronics to create a propulsive hybrid that sounds like nothing else on earth.
This is a band that were introduced to the West by the amazing The Ex, won Radio 3 World Music Awards, guest on Bjork’s new album (one of the only collaborations they have allowed), get name checked in Mixmag and Songlines and make what is some of the best post-industrial, electronic acoustic roots music imaginable. Infectious dance rhythms, sonic dexterity and overlapping vocals and sheer energy already make this Qu Junktions' gig of 2007.
Konono No.1 were founded over 25 years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the likembé (a traditional instrument sometimes called "sanza" or "thumb piano", consisting of metal rods attached to a resonator). The band's line-up includes three electric likembés (bass, medium and treble), equipped with hand-made microphones built from magnets salvaged from old car parts, and plugged into amplifiers. There's also a rhythm section which uses traditional as well as makeshift percussion (pans, pots and car parts), three singers, three dancers and a sound system featuring the famous megaphones.
Konono No. 1 has a sound that is distinct in many ways. The group doesn’t play songs with chord changes; rather, their songs are modal explorations, and the bass lines are often hypnotic eighth-note lines played on the bass likembé. But it is the group’s pitch range that covers a lot of sonic terrain. Their repertoire draws largely on Bazombo trance music, but they've had to incorporate the originally-unwanted distortions of their sound system. This has made them develop a unique style which, from a sonic viewpoint, has accidentally connected them with the aesthetics of experimental forms of rock (Jimi Hendrix’s unharnessed electric oversurges, Grateful Dead jams, Sunburned Hand of the Man tribal chants) and electronic music (the abandonment of Disco and Dub, Underground Resistance’s future/past techno) as much as it has with the resurgent forms of Malian hypno-rock, Steve Reichian world-music fusions and the plentiful and rich tradition of African trance music outfits. Ancient and Modern Afro-Punk-Funk.
Appleblim is a key Dubstep artist and co-owner of the seriously wondrous Skull Disco label. He will ride the decks this evening. Super sub-bass, scattered rimshots and tribal congas make up the alien groove of much of Skull Disco peerless output. The atmosphere of Berlin’s Chain Reaction overlayed with Eastern drones and animalistic hip shaking rhythms makes them stand out. Appleblim Appleblim promises to play a special across-the-board DJ set with a Skull Disco vibe.
Bass Clef is gonna play a percussive heavy set tonight. BC is a beautiful rogue operator with his multi-instrumentalism, ringing cow-bell, heavy trombone blasts and effects all spicing up his wonky digi-dub with an electronic dubstep undertow. A heady combination of heavy bass, dirty high end and killer melodies. Kinda like ‘Rahsaan Roland Kirk’ jamming with ‘Iration Steppas’ on a full moon.
A deep heavy rock three piece. Ashowka formerly Bipolar Bear began playing the south of UK in 2006 as a 2 piece. After recruiting Luke, formerly of Glasgow band 'The Leeroys' Ashowka made a big impact on both jazz and rock fans in the Bristol music scene. Strange time signatures, off kilter riffs and math groove. Battles are of course a band to compare these with. Jazz and World sounds impact on Ashowka as does the heavy, precise rock sounds of Tomahawk and The Mars Volta.
Tickets available from Rooted Records, Ticketweb and Fiddlers Box Office as well as the usual outlets.
Konono No.1, Appleblim and Bass Clef nail that and then dance with it to glorious effect. Konono No1 are from the border between Congo and Angola. They are a band that blisters dancefloors, speakers and makes for a euphoric sound. A village band, with a long lineage, that fuse traditional African Bazombo trance music with hand-built electronics to create a propulsive hybrid that sounds like nothing else on earth.
This is a band that were introduced to the West by the amazing The Ex, won Radio 3 World Music Awards, guest on Bjork’s new album (one of the only collaborations they have allowed), get name checked in Mixmag and Songlines and make what is some of the best post-industrial, electronic acoustic roots music imaginable. Infectious dance rhythms, sonic dexterity and overlapping vocals and sheer energy already make this Qu Junktions' gig of 2007.
Konono No.1 were founded over 25 years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the likembé (a traditional instrument sometimes called "sanza" or "thumb piano", consisting of metal rods attached to a resonator). The band's line-up includes three electric likembés (bass, medium and treble), equipped with hand-made microphones built from magnets salvaged from old car parts, and plugged into amplifiers. There's also a rhythm section which uses traditional as well as makeshift percussion (pans, pots and car parts), three singers, three dancers and a sound system featuring the famous megaphones.
Konono No. 1 has a sound that is distinct in many ways. The group doesn’t play songs with chord changes; rather, their songs are modal explorations, and the bass lines are often hypnotic eighth-note lines played on the bass likembé. But it is the group’s pitch range that covers a lot of sonic terrain. Their repertoire draws largely on Bazombo trance music, but they've had to incorporate the originally-unwanted distortions of their sound system. This has made them develop a unique style which, from a sonic viewpoint, has accidentally connected them with the aesthetics of experimental forms of rock (Jimi Hendrix’s unharnessed electric oversurges, Grateful Dead jams, Sunburned Hand of the Man tribal chants) and electronic music (the abandonment of Disco and Dub, Underground Resistance’s future/past techno) as much as it has with the resurgent forms of Malian hypno-rock, Steve Reichian world-music fusions and the plentiful and rich tradition of African trance music outfits. Ancient and Modern Afro-Punk-Funk.
Appleblim is a key Dubstep artist and co-owner of the seriously wondrous Skull Disco label. He will ride the decks this evening. Super sub-bass, scattered rimshots and tribal congas make up the alien groove of much of Skull Disco peerless output. The atmosphere of Berlin’s Chain Reaction overlayed with Eastern drones and animalistic hip shaking rhythms makes them stand out. Appleblim Appleblim promises to play a special across-the-board DJ set with a Skull Disco vibe.
Bass Clef is gonna play a percussive heavy set tonight. BC is a beautiful rogue operator with his multi-instrumentalism, ringing cow-bell, heavy trombone blasts and effects all spicing up his wonky digi-dub with an electronic dubstep undertow. A heady combination of heavy bass, dirty high end and killer melodies. Kinda like ‘Rahsaan Roland Kirk’ jamming with ‘Iration Steppas’ on a full moon.
A deep heavy rock three piece. Ashowka formerly Bipolar Bear began playing the south of UK in 2006 as a 2 piece. After recruiting Luke, formerly of Glasgow band 'The Leeroys' Ashowka made a big impact on both jazz and rock fans in the Bristol music scene. Strange time signatures, off kilter riffs and math groove. Battles are of course a band to compare these with. Jazz and World sounds impact on Ashowka as does the heavy, precise rock sounds of Tomahawk and The Mars Volta.
Tickets available from Rooted Records, Ticketweb and Fiddlers Box Office as well as the usual outlets.