Pierre Kwenders - Le Dernier Empereur Bantou - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

MAKANDA carries the heritage of a modern Africa in which Congolese Rumba is at the forefront. The album, recorded in Seattle, was produced by Tendai Baba Maraire, one-half of the Seattle-based hip hop duo Shabazz Palaces (Sub Pop records). Pierre Kwenders' musical depth is present throughout the 11 tracks, which combine new wave world music, rumba trap and indie afro. He sings and raps in four languages (lingala, French, English, shona), creating aesthetic and lyrical options that most artists do not have. These four languages are the album's cornerstones.

Alex Lahey - I Love You Like A Brother [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/06/2017

Accent's acclaimed Cantata series featuring Sigiswald Kuijken and La Petite Bande concludes with volume eighteen. The disc offers works for the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity, the sixth Sunday after Trinity and Palm Sunday. Kuijken's cycle is notable for it's use of solo voices in place of a choir. Once highly controversial, this approach has gained traction in some musicological circles. Regardless of authenticity, the superb performances in this series deserve a wide audience and shed new light on familiar territory. Accent's Super Audio recordings also give the music an added depth and clarity not possible on a standard compact disc.