Kinshasa One Two
Studio album by
DRC Music
Released30 September 2011
RecordedJuly 2011
StudioKinshasa, D.R. Congo
Genre
Length51:14
LabelWarp, Oxfam
ProducerVarious
Damon Albarn chronology
The Fall
(2010)
Kinshasa One Two
(2011)
The Singles Collection 2001–2011
(2011)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(71/100)[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Mixmag[1]
Pitchfork Media(6.8/10)[3]
Q[1]

Kinshasa One Two is an album recorded by Damon Albarn alongside ten producers of the newly established DRC Music to benefit Oxfam's work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background

Recorded in Kinshasa, Congo, within five out of nine days spent there[4] during July 2011, the album was intended to shine a light on contemporary Congolese musicians, featuring more than 50 local performers, notably Nelly Liyemge, Jupiter Bokondji & Okwess International and Bokatola System. DRC Music is composed of producers Damon Albarn, Dan the Automator, XL Recordings managers Richard Russell & Rodaidh McDonald, Jneiro Jarel, DJ Darren Cunningham aka Actress, Marc Antoine, Alwest, Remi Kabaka Jr., Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Kwes.

Album was released digitally by Warp Records on 3 October 2011, followed by a CD edition in digipak and a deluxe vinyl edition plus three bonus tracks later on 7 November 2011,[5] with album artwork by Aitor Throup and Hardy Blechman.

Song information

Damon Albarn himself sings on "Hallo", also the only single from the album, released promotionally on compact disc. The song "Love" is completely a cappella with no music and serves both as an interlude and prelude to "Lingala". There is a hidden track only on the CD. Also, a code to access three further bonus tracks, including a heavy version of track 6, "Lourds", is given in the CD/vinyl booklets.

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Hallo" (featuring Tout Puissant Mukalo & Nelly Liyemge)Richard Russell & Damon Albarn3:38
2."K-Town" (featuring N’Gotshima & Bebson)Dan the Automator3:51
3."African Space Anthem" (featuring Ewing Sima)Jneiro Jarel3:06
4."Love" (featuring Love)Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs1:02
5."Lingala" (featuring Bokatola System & Evala Litongo)Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs4:56
6."Lourds" (featuring Yende Bongongo)Yende Bongongo, Bokatola System2:18
7."Respect of the Rules" (featuring Loi X Liberal)Richard Russell3:05
8."We Come from the Forest" (featuring Bokatola System)Bokatola System4:29
9."Customs" (featuring Bokatola System)Kwes2:32
10."Virginia" (featuring Magakala Virginia Yollande & Yowa Hollande)Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs2:59
11."Ah Congo" (featuring Jupiter Bokondji & Bokatola System)Rodaidh McDonald3:59
12."Three Piece Sweet Part 1 & 2" (featuring Bebson)Actress, Kwes, Remi Kabaka Jr.3:44
13."If You Wish to Stay Awake" (featuring Washiba)Kwes, Richard Russell3:12
14."Departure" (featuring Bokatola System)Kwes7:08
Total length:51:14

Personnel

  • Damon Albarn – vocals, synthesizer, bass guitar, omnichord, producer, programming
  • Richard Russell – producer, engineer, programming, effects
  • Dan the Automator – producer
  • Jneiro Jarel – producer
  • Actress – producer
  • Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – producer
  • Marc Antoine – producer
  • Alwest – producer
  • Remi Kabaka Jr. – producer
  • Rodaidh McDonald – producer, engineer
  • Kwes – producer
  • Stephen Sedgwick – engineer, mixing
  • John Foyle – assistant engineer
  • Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
  • Aitor Throup – art direction
  • Hardy Blechman – art direction
  • Simon Phipps – photography
  • Gareth Pritchard – retouching
  • Tout Puissant Mukalo – vocals
  • Nelly Liyemge – vocals
  • N’Gotshima – vocals
  • Bebson – vocals
  • Ewing Sima – vocals, percussion
  • Love – vocals
  • Bokatola System – vocals, percussion, producer
  • Evala Litongo – vocals
  • Yende Bongongo – vocals, producer
  • Loi X Liberal – vocals
  • Magakala Virginia Yollande – vocals
  • Yowa Hollande – vocals
  • Jupiter Bokondji – vocals
  • Washiba – vocals
  • Cubain Kabeya – drums, percussion
  • Okwess International – percussion
  • Odon Asok – percussion
  • Boyo Kani – percussion
  • Lionel Kizaba – percussion
  • Pay Kumbi – percussion
  • Bercy Makamba – percussion
  • Michel Nsimi – percussion
  • Bitsindou Scafio – percussion
  • Pierre Sylvaine – percussion
  • Djanga Weny – percussion
  • Tshetshe Yenge – percussion
  • Tshamala Mufubela – flute
  • Padou Nkoyi – guitar

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Australia[6] 30 September 2011 Digital download Warp Records
Germany[7]
Ireland[8]
New Zealand[9]
United Kingdom[10] 2 October 2011
France[11] 3 October 2011
Italy[12]
Portugal[13]
Spain[14]
Canada[15] 4 October 2011
Mexico[16]
United States[17]

Physical release: 7 November 2011

References

  1. ^ a b c Reviews for Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music – Metacritic
  2. ^ Kinshasa One Two - DRC Music | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
  3. ^ "DRC Music: Kinshasa One Two". Pitchfork.
  4. ^ "Actress interview: Clubbing in the Congo | Juno Plus". Junodownload.com. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Blur News – Damon launches DRC Music (updated) – Aug 1, 2011". Vblurpage.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  6. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  7. ^ "iTunes – Musik – "Kinshasa One Two" von DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  8. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  9. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  10. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. ^ "iTunes – Musique – Kinshasa One Two par DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  12. ^ "iTunes – Musica – Kinshasa One Two di DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  13. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  14. ^ "iTunes – Música – Kinshasa One Two de DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  15. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  16. ^ "iTunes – Música – Kinshasa One Two de DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  17. ^ "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.

External links