Adam Purdy is a musician and producer currently based in Ono-shi, Japan. Driven by a true passion for the art, Adam graduated from The University Of Waikato in 2010 with a degree in music and since then has steadily pursuing a career in the industry operating under the moniker ‘Bambino’.
All Saxophone on this album was played by Sam Weeks. All Violin on this album was played by Anni Balzat.
For anyone who experiences social anxiety or depression.
Tracklist : 01 – The Death of Bambino 02 – Sleep Never 03 – Lay Over 04 – Hopes Just Resting 05 – You Don’t Have to Pretend You’re Happy 06 – Mother Enigma 07 – Wake Us Up 08 – PMA All Day 09 – Lake Street Pride 10 – Thank You Keegan (It’s Perfect) 11 – Small City of Japan (depature)
Adam Purdy is a musician and producer currently based in Ono-shi, Japan. Driven by a true passion for the art, Adam graduated from The University Of Waikato in 2010 with a degree in music and since then has steadily pursuing a career in the industry operating under the moniker ‘Bambino’.
All Saxophone on this album was played by Sam Weeks. All Violin on this album was played by Anni Balzat.
For anyone who experiences social anxiety or depression.
Tracklist : 01 – The Death of Bambino 02 – Sleep Never 03 – Lay Over 04 – Hopes Just Resting 05 – You Don’t Have to Pretend You’re Happy 06 – Mother Enigma 07 – Wake Us Up 08 – PMA All Day 09 – Lake Street Pride 10 – Thank You Keegan (It’s Perfect) 11 – Small City of Japan (depature)
One of the most inspiring success stories in the global music scene, fearless Congolese band STAFF BENDA BILILI is back with its long-awaited follow-up album "Bouger le monde", which bears witness to the spectacular musical evolution of the group, and to its intent to keep making... the world shake! (as stated in the album's title).
Everyone must know their story by now: formed by paraplegic street musicians who, at the time, slept on the streets of Kinshasa and rehearsed in the half-abandoned city zoo, STAFF BENDA BILILI conquered worldwide audiences and media thanks to their enchanting music, their relentless energy and their uplifting optimism. Upon the 2009 release of their first album, "Très Très Fort" (Crammed Discs), the band instantaneously became one of the most emblematic African bands around, as well as a symbol of resilience and triumph over adversity.
Released in movie theatres and on TV, "Benda Bilili!", the feature film dedicated to the story of the group was a sensation at the Cannes film festival, and achieved a high level of success. As for the "Très Très Fort" album, it won several awards and sold upwards of 150 000 units. STAFF BENDA BILILI have toured nonstop for the last 3 years, and they keep performing in front of a constantly growing number of devoted, fervent fans. The band have appeared in the largest festivals & concert halls across Europe, Australia and Japan.
This new album, recorded once again in Kinshasa, DRC, contains a collection of 11 superb songs, and benefits from the musical transformations which gradually took place during Staff Benda Bilili's 350+ shows: the band are louder and rockier, their level of musicianship has further risen, and the adjunction of three new members brings richer textures and added excitement to the arrangements: drummer Montana had joined the band right after the recording of the 1st album, lead guitarist Amalphi is a new recruit, and young percussionist Randy (who played with the Staff when he was a kid, and later vanished for a couple of years) is back in force.
Another significant innovation is that the lead vocal duties are now shared between no less than seven singers: in addition to Coco, Ricky and Theo (who sang most of the songs until now), bass player Cavalier, drummer Montana, "hype-man" Kabose, and Roger (he of the amazing tin-can-and-string solos) are all featured as lead vocalists on the album, which contains lyrics in no less than four different Congolese languages, plus the customary sections in French.
"Bouger le monde" wonderfully translates the band's new sound: it's more powerful and sophisticated, yet retains and showcases all the idiosyncratic qualities of their makeshift instruments, and is as lyrical and moving as it ever was.
The album was produced once again by Crammed's Vincent Kenis (of Congotronics fame) who, this time, didn't set up his mobile studio in the zoo, but in the old Renapec studio, where legendary rumba/soukouss stars such as Franco, Tabu Ley, Papa Wemba and Pepe Kalle recorded some of their best work.
According to STAFF BENDA BILILI, "Bouger le monde" — "move the world" or "make the world shake"— refers to several things at once: 1. their wish to modestly contribute to changing the world (through the message conveyed by their music and their attitude); 2. their will to help change their own, local world (as explained below); and 3. their firm intention to get their audiences to get up on their feet and dance!
Let's mention finally that STAFF BENDA BILILI are still living in Kinshasa. Although success has changed ther life conditions (each of the band members now has a house, or is building one; they've bought new motorbikes, and they can now afford to send their children to school), they aren't considering moving to anywhere else on the planet.They say that they would be cut off from their roots if they did. And they've set themselves a goal: they're eager to help disabled people and homeless children around them to get homes and jobs, and are founding a school which will give them professional tuition (in mechanics, carpentry, music and computer science). They've just created an NGO for that purpose.
L'une des success stories les plus glorieuses et rocambolesques qu'ait connu la scène musicale mondiale de ces dernières années est sans conteste celle de l'intrépide orchestre congolais STAFF BENDA BILILI. Les voici de retour avec "BOUGER LE MONDE", un nouvel album très attendu qui témoigne de la spectaculaire évolution musicale du groupe, ainsi bien sûr de sa détermination à faire, plus que jamais... bouger le monde.
L'histoire est désormais connue de tous: fondé par des musiciens de rue paraplégiques qui, à l'époque, dormaient dans les rues de Kinshasa et répétaient dans un jardin zoologique à moitié abandonné, STAFF BENDA BILILI a conquis le public du monde entier grâce à sa musique enchanteresse, son énergie implacable et son optimisme euphorisant. Suite à la sortie de leur premier album "Très Très Fort" (Crammed Discs, 2009), le groupe est devenu l'un des plus emblématiques d'Afrique, ainsi qu'un symbole de résilience et de triomphe sur l'adversité.
Sorti en salle et à la télévision, "Benda Bilili!", le long-métrage consacré à l'histoire du groupe, a fait sensation à Cannes et a récolté un large succès. L'album "Très Très Fort" (disque d'or en France) a remporté plusieurs prix, et s'est écoulé à plus de 150.000 exemplaires dans le monde. Les trois années qui viennent de s'écouler ont vu STAFF BENDA BILILI triompher sur les scènes des plus grands festivals et salles de concert à travers l'Europe, l'Australie et le Japon, face à un public toujours plus nombreux et plus fervent.
Les onze superbes chansons de ce nouvel album - enregistré à nouveau à Kinshasa, RDC - témoignent de la métamorphose de Staff Benda Bilili après plus de 350 concerts: le groupe joue plus fort, plus rock, plus assuré, plus virtuose, l'adjonction de trois nouveaux membres élargit la palette sonore, dynamise les arrangements: il y a le guitariste soliste Amalphi, nouvelle recrue éminente; le batteur Montana, qui a rejoint le groupe juste après l'enregistrement du premier album; et le jeune percussionniste Randy, recruté par le Staff quand il était enfant, puis porté disparu pendant quelques années, et désormais revenu en force...
Autre innovation importante, le rôle de vocaliste principal se partage désormais entre sept chanteurs: à Coco, Ricky et Théo (qui avaient chanté la plupart des chansons jusqu'ici), viennent s'ajouter Cavalier (le bassiste), Montana (le batteur), Kabose (“l'animateur”), et Roger (rendu célèbre par ses solos de satonge, cet instrument qu'il a construit à partir d'une boîte à conserve électrifiée). Tous chantent en solo sur l'album, et cela dans pas moins de quatre langues congolaises différentes, en plus de quelques parties en français.
"Bouger le monde" traduit parfaitement le nouveau son de STAFF BENDA BILILI, plus puissant, plus sophistiqué, les particularités sonores des instruments de fortune non seulement préservées mais mises en valeur, le lyrisme et l'émotion plus présents que jamais.
L'album a été produit à nouveau par Vincent Kenis (le réalisateur attitré de Crammed, qui s'est notamment illustré par son travail avec Konono N°1 et la série Congotronics). Cette fois, Kenis n'a pas installé son studio mobile dans le zoo mais dans l'ancien studio Renapec, où des légendes de la rumba congolaise telles que Franco, Tabu Ley, Papa Wemba et Pepe Kalle ont enregistré quelques-uns de leurs meilleurs disques. Selon les membres de STAFF BENDA BILILI, "Bouger Le Monde" fait référence à plusieurs idées à la fois: 1. leur souhait de contribuer modestement à changer le monde (à travers le message véhiculé par leur musique et leur attitude); 2. leur volonté de contribuer à changer les choses au niveau local (au moyen de leur ONG, voir ci-dessous), et 3. leur ferme intention d'inciter leur public à sauter sauter (sur ses pieds) et danser danser.
Signalons pour finir que les membres de STAFF BENDA BILILI vivent toujours à Kinshasa. Le succès a modifié leurs conditions de vie : chacun des membres est désormais propriétaire de sa maison, ou est en train d'en construire une; ils ont acheté de nouvelles bécanes, et peuvent à présent se permettre d'envoyer leurs enfants à l'école. Mais ils n'envisagent pas de vivre ailleurs: ils disent que, loin de Kinshasa, ils seraient coupés de leurs racines. Et ils se sont fixé une tâche qui leur tient à c?ur: aider d'autres personnes handicapées et des gamins des rues à trouver un logement et un travail. Ils travaillent notamment à la création d'une école qui dispensera des formations professionnelles (menuiserie, carrosserie, musique, informatique), et ont créé une ONG dans ce but.
Tracklist : 1. Osali Mabe 2. Sopeka 3. Bilanga 4. Tangu I Fueni 5. Kuluna / Gangs 6. Djambula 7. Libala Ya Mungwa 8. Souci 9. Apandjokwetu 10. Ne me quitte pas 11. Mutu Esalaka (The Brains Are OK)
One of the most inspiring success stories in the global music scene, fearless Congolese band STAFF BENDA BILILI is back with its long-awaited follow-up album "Bouger le monde", which bears witness to the spectacular musical evolution of the group, and to its intent to keep making... the world shake! (as stated in the album's title).
Everyone must know their story by now: formed by paraplegic street musicians who, at the time, slept on the streets of Kinshasa and rehearsed in the half-abandoned city zoo, STAFF BENDA BILILI conquered worldwide audiences and media thanks to their enchanting music, their relentless energy and their uplifting optimism. Upon the 2009 release of their first album, "Très Très Fort" (Crammed Discs), the band instantaneously became one of the most emblematic African bands around, as well as a symbol of resilience and triumph over adversity.
Released in movie theatres and on TV, "Benda Bilili!", the feature film dedicated to the story of the group was a sensation at the Cannes film festival, and achieved a high level of success. As for the "Très Très Fort" album, it won several awards and sold upwards of 150 000 units. STAFF BENDA BILILI have toured nonstop for the last 3 years, and they keep performing in front of a constantly growing number of devoted, fervent fans. The band have appeared in the largest festivals & concert halls across Europe, Australia and Japan.
This new album, recorded once again in Kinshasa, DRC, contains a collection of 11 superb songs, and benefits from the musical transformations which gradually took place during Staff Benda Bilili's 350+ shows: the band are louder and rockier, their level of musicianship has further risen, and the adjunction of three new members brings richer textures and added excitement to the arrangements: drummer Montana had joined the band right after the recording of the 1st album, lead guitarist Amalphi is a new recruit, and young percussionist Randy (who played with the Staff when he was a kid, and later vanished for a couple of years) is back in force.
Another significant innovation is that the lead vocal duties are now shared between no less than seven singers: in addition to Coco, Ricky and Theo (who sang most of the songs until now), bass player Cavalier, drummer Montana, "hype-man" Kabose, and Roger (he of the amazing tin-can-and-string solos) are all featured as lead vocalists on the album, which contains lyrics in no less than four different Congolese languages, plus the customary sections in French.
"Bouger le monde" wonderfully translates the band's new sound: it's more powerful and sophisticated, yet retains and showcases all the idiosyncratic qualities of their makeshift instruments, and is as lyrical and moving as it ever was.
The album was produced once again by Crammed's Vincent Kenis (of Congotronics fame) who, this time, didn't set up his mobile studio in the zoo, but in the old Renapec studio, where legendary rumba/soukouss stars such as Franco, Tabu Ley, Papa Wemba and Pepe Kalle recorded some of their best work.
According to STAFF BENDA BILILI, "Bouger le monde" — "move the world" or "make the world shake"— refers to several things at once: 1. their wish to modestly contribute to changing the world (through the message conveyed by their music and their attitude); 2. their will to help change their own, local world (as explained below); and 3. their firm intention to get their audiences to get up on their feet and dance!
Let's mention finally that STAFF BENDA BILILI are still living in Kinshasa. Although success has changed ther life conditions (each of the band members now has a house, or is building one; they've bought new motorbikes, and they can now afford to send their children to school), they aren't considering moving to anywhere else on the planet.They say that they would be cut off from their roots if they did. And they've set themselves a goal: they're eager to help disabled people and homeless children around them to get homes and jobs, and are founding a school which will give them professional tuition (in mechanics, carpentry, music and computer science). They've just created an NGO for that purpose.
L'une des success stories les plus glorieuses et rocambolesques qu'ait connu la scène musicale mondiale de ces dernières années est sans conteste celle de l'intrépide orchestre congolais STAFF BENDA BILILI. Les voici de retour avec "BOUGER LE MONDE", un nouvel album très attendu qui témoigne de la spectaculaire évolution musicale du groupe, ainsi bien sûr de sa détermination à faire, plus que jamais... bouger le monde.
L'histoire est désormais connue de tous: fondé par des musiciens de rue paraplégiques qui, à l'époque, dormaient dans les rues de Kinshasa et répétaient dans un jardin zoologique à moitié abandonné, STAFF BENDA BILILI a conquis le public du monde entier grâce à sa musique enchanteresse, son énergie implacable et son optimisme euphorisant. Suite à la sortie de leur premier album "Très Très Fort" (Crammed Discs, 2009), le groupe est devenu l'un des plus emblématiques d'Afrique, ainsi qu'un symbole de résilience et de triomphe sur l'adversité.
Sorti en salle et à la télévision, "Benda Bilili!", le long-métrage consacré à l'histoire du groupe, a fait sensation à Cannes et a récolté un large succès. L'album "Très Très Fort" (disque d'or en France) a remporté plusieurs prix, et s'est écoulé à plus de 150.000 exemplaires dans le monde. Les trois années qui viennent de s'écouler ont vu STAFF BENDA BILILI triompher sur les scènes des plus grands festivals et salles de concert à travers l'Europe, l'Australie et le Japon, face à un public toujours plus nombreux et plus fervent.
Les onze superbes chansons de ce nouvel album - enregistré à nouveau à Kinshasa, RDC - témoignent de la métamorphose de Staff Benda Bilili après plus de 350 concerts: le groupe joue plus fort, plus rock, plus assuré, plus virtuose, l'adjonction de trois nouveaux membres élargit la palette sonore, dynamise les arrangements: il y a le guitariste soliste Amalphi, nouvelle recrue éminente; le batteur Montana, qui a rejoint le groupe juste après l'enregistrement du premier album; et le jeune percussionniste Randy, recruté par le Staff quand il était enfant, puis porté disparu pendant quelques années, et désormais revenu en force...
Autre innovation importante, le rôle de vocaliste principal se partage désormais entre sept chanteurs: à Coco, Ricky et Théo (qui avaient chanté la plupart des chansons jusqu'ici), viennent s'ajouter Cavalier (le bassiste), Montana (le batteur), Kabose (“l'animateur”), et Roger (rendu célèbre par ses solos de satonge, cet instrument qu'il a construit à partir d'une boîte à conserve électrifiée). Tous chantent en solo sur l'album, et cela dans pas moins de quatre langues congolaises différentes, en plus de quelques parties en français.
"Bouger le monde" traduit parfaitement le nouveau son de STAFF BENDA BILILI, plus puissant, plus sophistiqué, les particularités sonores des instruments de fortune non seulement préservées mais mises en valeur, le lyrisme et l'émotion plus présents que jamais.
L'album a été produit à nouveau par Vincent Kenis (le réalisateur attitré de Crammed, qui s'est notamment illustré par son travail avec Konono N°1 et la série Congotronics). Cette fois, Kenis n'a pas installé son studio mobile dans le zoo mais dans l'ancien studio Renapec, où des légendes de la rumba congolaise telles que Franco, Tabu Ley, Papa Wemba et Pepe Kalle ont enregistré quelques-uns de leurs meilleurs disques. Selon les membres de STAFF BENDA BILILI, "Bouger Le Monde" fait référence à plusieurs idées à la fois: 1. leur souhait de contribuer modestement à changer le monde (à travers le message véhiculé par leur musique et leur attitude); 2. leur volonté de contribuer à changer les choses au niveau local (au moyen de leur ONG, voir ci-dessous), et 3. leur ferme intention d'inciter leur public à sauter sauter (sur ses pieds) et danser danser.
Signalons pour finir que les membres de STAFF BENDA BILILI vivent toujours à Kinshasa. Le succès a modifié leurs conditions de vie : chacun des membres est désormais propriétaire de sa maison, ou est en train d'en construire une; ils ont acheté de nouvelles bécanes, et peuvent à présent se permettre d'envoyer leurs enfants à l'école. Mais ils n'envisagent pas de vivre ailleurs: ils disent que, loin de Kinshasa, ils seraient coupés de leurs racines. Et ils se sont fixé une tâche qui leur tient à c?ur: aider d'autres personnes handicapées et des gamins des rues à trouver un logement et un travail. Ils travaillent notamment à la création d'une école qui dispensera des formations professionnelles (menuiserie, carrosserie, musique, informatique), et ont créé une ONG dans ce but.
Tracklist : 1. Osali Mabe 2. Sopeka 3. Bilanga 4. Tangu I Fueni 5. Kuluna / Gangs 6. Djambula 7. Libala Ya Mungwa 8. Souci 9. Apandjokwetu 10. Ne me quitte pas 11. Mutu Esalaka (The Brains Are OK)
Generally thought of as a seminal group of the ‘90s ambient house scene, The Orb have actually been surprisingly prolific over the last ten years. Various works with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Tim Bran of Dreadzone (on Metallic Spheres and The Dream respectively) throughout the ‘00s proved that Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann’s way with a collaboration hadn’t deserted them, further evidence of which comes in the shape of The Observer in the Star House alongside esoteric dub legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.
The collaboration has arguably been in motion for a number of years now, since Paterson played DJ to Perry’s toaster in Mexico back in 2004 and was taken with the infamous and charming eccentricity of the dub pioneer. Eight years later, and that familiar, wiry voice and humorous flow is proclaiming “I’ve got something to say/You wanna hear it? Hear it!” over opening track ‘Ball of Fire’’s intro horns.
The Orb’s cosmic ambience and sci-fi sensibilities are a perfect match for the out-of-this-world Perry (a shared aesthetic that’s echoed in the album’s title), and references to space and its possible inhabitants are made regularly throughout. ‘Man in the Moon’ is a sparse production, a cavernous dub over which Perry explains his interstellar credentials, while ‘Hold Me Upsetter’ throws sliced guitar and string samples into the mix, the accompanying video a suitably psychedelic affair complete with galactic imagery and a Buddha holding a Chelsea FC badge.
‘Golden Clouds’ is a nod back to The Orb’s 1991 classic ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’, with the same “what were the clouds like when you were young?” question asked of Perry that was squared at Ricky Lee Jones in the original. Scratch answers in a surprisingly straightforward manner (“Blue space, white clouds/Sometimes we got rain”), before settling down into a more characteristic ramble.
‘Thirsty’ pairs an old skool hip-hop break with some echoing, offbeat dub chords, while a delightful mangling of the Perry-penned classic ‘Police & Thieves’ is a clear highlight, and perhaps the album’s most overtly dub-centric production.
Fehlmann’s techno instincts are tempered here in respect to Perry’s languid drawl, but hints of the industrial background of Berlin (where the album was made) make sporadic appearances. ‘Go Down Evil’ opens with a racing sequencer phrase, while ‘H.O.O.’ is full of the space and airiness of minimal electro.
Some of the best on moments on The Observer… occur during the mellower, more pensive tracks. ‘Soulman’ is a delight: a mid-tempo beat layered with a minor key drone, a chopped and twisted King Tubby sample coming and going underneath. Perry’s regular assertions that he is the titular “soulman” have different connotations in this context than the rhythmic grunts of the original godfather of soul, taking on a more spiritual meaning here. The hypnotic skit ‘Ashes’ seems like the sketch of an idea that unfortunately wasn’t extended to full song length, and closer ‘Congo’ is a mystical jungle dub, Perry’s filtered vocals drifting over an entrancing, percussion-heavy rhythm.
For those looking for more than veteran ambient electronica stalwarts backing up the charismatic, if slightly meandering, stream of consciousness from one of music’s great figures, disappointment was always going to be the outcome on The Observer... Yet the creativity and mutual respect on show here makes for a worthy collaboration and an intriguing listen, one worthy of a prominent place in the respective canons of both parties.
Tracklist : 01. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ball of Fire 04:11 02. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - H. O. O. 04:13 03. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Man In The Moon 04:04 04. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Soulman 06:02 05. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Golden Clouds 05:44 06. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Hold Me Upsetter 04:21 07. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Go Down Evil 05:29 08. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Thirsty 04:36 09. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Police & Thieves 04:50 10. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Ashes 01:25 11. The Orb (feat. Lee Scratch Perry) - Congo 06:23
