Country: The Congo
A second-generation Congolese-American, Kiazi Malonga‘s upcoming album Tembo Kia Ngoma honors his late father, and aims to share and elevate Congolese traditional music. Based around the use of the Ngoma (a traditional drum from sub-Saharan Africa), the instrumental album puts focus on Congolese rhythms, while incorporating other musical elements from the region.
The first single, “Lomami”adds melodic strings to the intricately composed Ngoma breakdown, creating music that is both danceable and spiritual in its own way. The recently releases “Tatamana” is more percussion-focused, with Malonga showing off a furiously powerful performance on the Ngoma.
Discover these incredible tracks in our World Watch Playlist!
The Indy Review 