No country has failed quite as spectacularly as Congo. The sweaty heart of Africa barely makes the headlines, unless it is another tale of tragedy. But Congo is also unique in that has one of the largest, most developed, and most sophisticated music industries in Africa. Its musicians are legendary throughout the continent, and its musical exports can be heard in African clubs from Brussels to New York.

It is from the post-independence chaos that Congolese group Konono N°1 — short for "L'orchestre foklorique tout puisant Konono N°1 de Mingledi," let it never be said that the Congolese are demure —  formed in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, in the late 1970's by Mawangu Mingiedi, a truckdriver from near the Angolan border. Mingiedi based his music around the likembé, a traditional instrument that is plucked.

Konono N°1's 2005 album, Congotronics, is one of the few albums by a Congolese artist to be recorded in a professional studio. It is a very musically simple recording: most of its songs feature several electric likembés with varying amount of background instrumentation and vocals.

While the album is fairly evenly well done, "Kule Kule" stands out for its quiet rhythms and gentleness. "Paradiso" is the higest energy track, with frenetic likembé playing, whistles, drumming, and vocals.

It is truly a shame that more is not heard from Congo. Literally. 

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