Africa Is a Country

Boddhi Satva and Kaysha bring Congolese Music to the deep end

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

Boddhi Satva and Kaysha bring Congolese Music to the deep end

By
Boima Tucker

Boddhi Satva recently announced a very exciting collaboration between himself and international Zouk legend Kaysha. For those who are unfamiliar with the current African House movement, alongside names like Black Coffee, Osunlade, and DJ Djeff, Boddhi Satva has become one of the scene’s lead sonic innovators. His style is marked by ther merger of Central African drum patterns with a dark, and percussive synth palette — a sound he calls Ancestral Soul. It is this sound in particular has been really making strides to bring African House to the global mainstream. Besides releasing a remix series (1, 2, and 3) of international pop hits, his recent collaboration with Naija Pop luminary Davido, and Coupe Decale star DJ Arafat is one of the tunes with the biggest reaction in my own sets today.

On the other side of this collaboration, Kaysha is a household name in the international Zouk and Kizomba scenes. However, it is his alter-ego Mr. Shada, under which he has shown to be quite a forward-thinking beat maker — experimenting with Kuduro, Coupe Decale, and House in an endless stream of releases, and churning out some of those scenes’ biggest productions. I was rife with anticipation for what would result from their team up. And, I was not disappointed:

Apparently “Mama Kosa” is the first time Kaysha is singing in Lingala on record. Besides the skill with which Kaysha delivers the animateur style vocals, I personally think Satva is at his best when producing for Lingala, or specifically referencing Congolese music (a main source of inspiration for much of the Afropop popular today) in his productions. It is at that moment, when the MC bounces above the deep drum programming that you realize what Satva is in fact doing is moving Congolese Rumba past its 20 year Ndombolo stagnancy (with all respect due to Fally Ipupa), and putting it on a path to the future.

The full release features a remix by Afro House specialist Atjazz, and as an added bonus Kaysha appears as Mr. Shada to provide his own remix of the track (above version). Both are fire interpretations, so pick up your own copy from Satva’s Offering Recordings to hear all three versions in their full glory!

 

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