Born out of Luanda

No Kuduro doesn't have anything to do with this guy, though Kudu are pretty awesome.


Kuduro is a style of electronic music that arose in the 1980s incorporating Angolan and Caribbean traditional rhythms and samples into Western electronic beats. It is characterized by a very distinct 3 or 5 beat polyrhythm often mixed with a classic house beat, high-paced, energetic, and eminently danceable (look up semba to see some of the Angolan root rhythms). The Portuguese Buraka Som Sistema is in large part responsible for internationalizing the music - even still, it is predominantly produced in Angola and Portugal. Enchufada Records, Buraka's label, puts out some of my favorite music of this type.

Pandonga - Tataco Mendi


That drum beat is the essence of Kuduro. Now, for some slightly less frenetic examples, starting calmly and gradually getting rawer.

Humbe, Humbe - DJ Jesus


Township Funk (Diplo Remix) - DJ Mujava


And here it is, poppin' up in some of Diplo's work, a Kuduro remix of a South African house jam. No surprise there, he somehow seems have his dirty little paws in every pot.

Come to Me - Sabbo


Mastiksoul & Buraka Som Sistema - Sabalo


And this wouldn't be complete without Buraka's "Sound of Kuduro," a collab with DJ Znobia, MIA, Saborosa, and Puto Prata

And a download:

Burakaaaaaa

The new Buraka Som Sistema album just dropped, hells yes. They're a portuguese group that blends Angolan kuduro, house, and hip hop to make their own brand of music unlike anything else out there. If you don't know who they are, I highly recommend you check out their first album, Black Diamond (2008), and their From Buraka to the World EP (2006). But way more exciting is their new album, Komba, which came out three days ago and I just got a hold of. It retains their rawness and epic dancibility, and adds a little bit more vocals. In my opinion a few tracks are a little bit more pop-y (one or two maybe too much so), but the rest are massive.

Off Komba (2011):

Candonga


Tira o Pe:


Hangover (bababa)

This one has been out for a while, and to be honest I didn't like it for the first couple of times I listened. But it grows on you. Also, I think it's hilarious that they're saying nha nha nha nha nha…, brings out the 5 year old in me.

And here's a taste of the poppier side (still good)
Voodoo Love


And as a bonus, two sick remixes:
Kurum (Roulet Remix)


Roulet is another member of Buraka's Enchufada label, and Buraka always seems to throw this down in their sets.

Luanda Lisboa (DJ Znobia Remix) - Sorry, I don't have a playable link, but here's a download.

Znobia is an an awesome Angolan Kuduro dj from Luanda who has produced on Enchufada as well. The original Luanda Lisboa was produced with Znobia, and this is his spin.