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- Summary: The Democratic Republic of Congo group releases its latest album featuring such guests as Kasai All stars and guitarist Manuaku Pepe Felly.
- Record Label: Crammed Disc
- Genre(s): Electronic, Alternative, Folk, World
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 11 out of 12
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Mixed: 1 out of 12
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Negative: 0 out of 12
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Mar 4, 2011A jam band to the core, they don't craft their "songs" any more cunningly, but the effect is more song-like. Then, after 52 minutes, there's an unbuzzy finale: four minutes of acoustic likembe and aged voice which I call a coda and you may call a bore. To my medium-fi ears, this is where to begin.
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Even amid so many 10-minute epics, Konono also finds time to pare it down. The closer, "Nakobala Lisusu Te," features only voice and a single unamplified likembe, offering a glimpse into the soul of the band, which thankfully has been resistant to change.
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For fans, Assume Crash Position is a necessary addition to the catalog. For the intrigued, this is an excellent starting point.
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UncutContributions from guitarist Manaka Peppe Felly and members of Kasai All stars add texture ansd crank up the general air of euphoria even further. [Jun 2010, p.92]
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Assume Crash Position doesn't have the immediate impact of Congotronics, but it shows Konono are still morphing and innovating, led by a spirit of discovery--and whatever they find and pick up along the way.
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Makumbu's loping electric bass soon register some more lasting contributions. Mabasukisa possesses that essential quality of soukous guitarists, the ability to play like a human tape loop, and the way his figures lock right into the likembe and drum patterns underscores how Konono's music fits into the continuum of modern Congolese music rather than standing off to one side.
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Reportedly, the band is used to playing for hours on end. They could go on like that forever, which is both Assume Crash Position's strength and its flaw.
Score distribution:
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