Premiere: Ngwaka Son Systéme ‘Lakala’
DRC-based collective Ngwaka Son Systéme showcase the vibrant, big-room sounds of Kinshasa and beyond on their debut LP, ‘Iboto Ngenge’
Ngwaka Son Systéme will release their debut album, ‘Iboto Ngenge’, via Eck Echo next month. Have an exclusive first listen to lead single ‘Lakala’ below.
Comprised of former members of the band KOKOKO!, Ngwaka Son Systéme are the Congolese collective doing dance music their own way. Crafting their own DIY instruments and showcasing the big-room sounds coming out of capital city Kinshasa and beyond, the group – led by Love Lokombe (vocals, percussion) and Bom’s Bomolo (guitar) – fuse high-octane techno with elements of sizzling rumba, soukous, zagué and dancehall.
On their debut album, ‘Iboto Ngenge’, out 23rd February, the troupe showcase their innovative and experimental approach to production with lashings of bright, intricate guitar, nimble soukous rhythms, and call-and-response lyricism – largely in the Bantu language of Lingala. Lead single ‘Lakala’ – landing later this week – finds Ngwaka Son Systéme at their most club-ready with a bass-heavy pulse and primal percussion courtesy of member Steroy and his DIY drum kit.
Elsewhere on the LP, the collective are joined by MCs Lakala and Boomastyl who showcase the contagious flow and effortless energy of Jamaican dance music, while Venezuelan raptor house pioneer DJ Babatr deconstructs the vocal stems of ‘Lakala’ for an intense, Afro-Caribbean-infused remix. ‘Iboto Ngenge’ is truly a rhythmic triumph.
‘Lakala’ is out 12th January – listen exclusively to the single below. Pre-order the full EP, out 23rd February via Eck Echo, here.
