5 Tracks You Should Hear This Week
5 essential tracks with a great background story out of Bounty Radio’s S03E08.
Twice a month the Bounty Radio podcast highlights new innovative World Music 2.0. From each episode I select 5 tracks and provide you with their background story. Discover them all alongside more great tropical music in this week’s episode (on Mixcloud)
1. Buyepongo — Melodiosa
Buyepongo, a band from LA, sounds like a bunch of friends just having a good time playing and jamming together but their output is of a rock solid quality. Joyful, vibrant and groovy with a touch of nonchalance, they play and sing together like it’s that incredible easy. A close listener will recognize bits of merengue, cumbia and punta in the pan-Latin melting pot, reflecting the musical diversity in LA.
in 2016 they released the infectious Todo Mundo and are now back with the EP Tumbalo, featuring tracks written by band member Yuka. If you like the energy of the recordings, make sure to check the Boiler Room and KEXP performances of the band.
2. DJ Lycox — Weekend
Sparkling kuduro with something of a retro Zouk feel, out now on the Portuguese Príncipe Label. You’ll find that track on DJ Lycox ‘Sonhos & Pesadelos’ album, next to other gems like Parabens Moh Baba and the gentle Solteiro. And don’t sleep on the digital bonus track Ferrero! While a full kuduro album might feel a bit hardcore, this album takes the genre in a brighter and more melodic direction.
3. Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers ft. Ahmed Ag Kaedy — Onin Okalan
While Afro-Berlin jazz ensemble Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers were recording their latest album, Tuareg musician and Bamako resident Ahmed Ag Kaedy was invited to jam with the band. The result, 2 tracks, are to be released on December 15th on Agogo Records. We have Tuareg guitar on afro-jazz supported by crashing high hats and heavy percussion. The track might as well appeal to lovers of Ethio-groove and 70’s surf rock all the same. The track Onin Okalan is a plea for hard and honest work ethics. Releases dec 15th.
4. Denis Mpunga & Paul K — Intermezzo B (Dazion’s Turtle Maraca Remix)
Earlier this year, Music From Memory re-released Criola, an album by Denis Mpunga and Paul K. Denis Mpunga was born in Congo but moved to Belgium in the 70s where he joined forces with Paul K. Denis would experiment with african percussion while Paul K played a range of synthesizers. Together they released only a handful of track. Remarkably, Denis Mpunga continued to compose music, probably most notably for the movie La Promesse by the Dardenne Brothers. As a duo they were pioneers to experiment with African music in a new and innovative way. Music From Memory now released a full remix album on Criola, with Dutch producer Dazion creating a full anthem out of the original and short Intermezzo B.
5. Renegades Of Jazz — Zebra Talk feat. Kabanjak (Triberg Remix)
Moyo Wangu proved to be an Afro Funk album that’s here to stay. Originally released in 2016 by Renegades of Jazz, the album serves a serious dose of Afro funk, inspired by a childhood in Tanzania. On december 15, Agogo Records released an impressive remix album entitled Moyo Zaidi. And O boy, what a collection! It’s hard to pick a favorite track. The selection ranges from heavy dub, over cumbia to deep house, so don’t expect the same Afro funk vibe again. A couple of highlights are this sophisticated Triberg remix, a cumbia-esk version of Them Who Walk Slow and the weird but lovely Paradise Hippies Remix.
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Bounty Radio brings you twice a month on future and electronic ‘World Music 2.0’. The show broadcasts since 2015 out of Kortrijk (Belgium) and airs on 3 stations and various podcast platforms. The playlist includes brand new electronica, global bass and organic grooves that will take you deep into the tropics.
