CD Review: Staff Benda Bilili's 'Bouger Le Monde!'

Staff Benda Bilili
Bouger Le Monde!
Crammed

The paraplegic street musicians from Kinshasa, DRC, have once again charmed the world with another fine album, Bouger Le Monde!, which means, 'to move the world.' Staff Benda Bilili knows how to make the world move and shake their hips to the soukous rumba of the guitars, percussion, and vocals. The effort is also produced by Vincent Kenis (of Congotronics fame). The eleven tracks are energetic, percussion-heavy, and African-rich with loads of melodic sensibilities. The music contains bass, drums, guitars, and a satonge, which is a metal can with a metal string attached. The resulting sound resembles an electric guitar wail, but the sound is very earthy, but magical. The rickety rhythms and glorious vocals are outstanding and worthy of praise the world over. Get your bodies moving to the sounds of Staff Benda Bilili. They will change the world for the better. ~ Matthew Forss