Empire Bakuba "La Belle Étoile"

Empire Bakuba
La Belle Étoile
Editions Veve International (Zaire) 1984
REM 360 (LP) coated sleeve.
sleeve : EX+(very slightly color-faded, still good.)
media : NM-/NM-(some very slightly surface noises, still fine.)

Empire Bakuba, a Congolese band formed in 1972 by former Lipua Lipua members Pepe Kalle, Papy Tex and Dilu Dilumona, released their masterpiece album in 1984. Compared to their contemporaries Zaiko Langa Langa, Empire Bakuba's sound is more influenced by traditional Congolese music, reflecting the style of Kwassa Kwassa, a dance music that originated in Kinshasa, Congo in the 1970s. This is not typical soukous music, with its shuffling rhythms, flowing electric guitars and melodious vocal/chorus work. There's even a hint of reggae in there too.