Mbongwana Star

Hailing from Congo, Mbongwana Star unleashes rowdy, high-voltage sounds grounded in longstanding rumba and soukous patterns yet propelled far beyond their origins by warped textures, dense electronic pulses, and daring studio methods that fold in acid rock, post-punk, and techno. Their opening full-length, From Kinshasa, appeared in 2015 and drew widespread praise.

The ensemble took shape in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, during 2013. Coco Ngambali and Théo Nzonza established the project after departing Staff Benda Bilili, a group of paraplegic and homeless street musicians, in the wake of a canceled European tour and claims of financial mismanagement. The lineup also features Dublin-born bassist and producer Liam Farrell alongside further Staff Benda Bilili veterans Cubain Kabeya and Randy Makana Kalambayi. World Circuit issued the debut From Kinshasa in 2015; the project had first been slated to carry the same name as its opening cut, “From Kinshasa to the Moon.” Entirely fashioned in the studio, the album blended altered rhythms, psychedelic guitar excursions, and warped location captures of the Kinshasa streets. Konono No. 1, the enduring and widely resonant Kinshasa-based collective, appeared on a single track. From Kinshasa earned glowing notices across many outlets and landed on numerous end-of-year roundups.

The musicians returned in 2021 with a contribution to African electronic duo Montparnasse Musique’s track “Bitumba,” featured on the duo’s self-titled EP that also hosted Konono No. 1 and Kasai Allstars.