Compro Oro ft. Bouton Kalanda

Kinshasa meets Ghent’s global grooves

Ghent-based Compro Oro has been forging a distinctive soundscape blending jazz, psychedelia and global sounds for over a decade. Following musical detours to Havana, Mogadishu and Istanbul, the quintet is heading to Kinshasa for their latest project.

Together with the Congolese likembé player, vocalist and dancer Bouton Kalanda, the band delves into the compelling rhythms and melodies of the Congolese capital. Kalanda enriches the layered, sultry tracks with the warmth of his bass likembé and intriguing vocals in Lingala. The result sounds like Konono N°1 with a stylish jazz twist, rooted in Compro Oro’s recognisable sonic signature: a firmly stretched groove featuring marimba, vibraphone and cutting guitars.

For fans of Konono N°1, Black Flower, Mulatu Astatke, Ebo Taylor