At first glance, their otherworldly appearance just might make you believe that aliens have arrived from the future! But don’t be fooled, this Congolese band from Kinshasa have their feet firmly rooted in Mother Earth. True to the tradition of creating musical instruments out of discarded odds and ends, this prodigious collective of six musicians delivers a sound unlike any other. In 2022, their self-titled debut EP of six tracks sung in Ngbaka, a Lingala language, eclipsed everything. It’s an album that’s thrilling to listen to again and again, with “Bopeto” proving particularly addictive.
The group captures “the sound of trash” from their Kinois neighbourhood of Ngwaka to hallucinating effect! Their ethos can be summed up in five words: Eco-Friendly-Afro-Futuristic-Punk. Heavy stuff! In their visionary world, humans are bathed in abundance while respecting Nature. “End waste” is their global rallying call, which is why these young men also create their outfits from recycled materials, right down to their mysterious masks!
Their voices express pan-Africanistic aspirations, a continental vision of shared hopes, and a wish for peace in their country rocked by clashes and so many displaced persons. For these artists, whom the French media outlet Libération describes as a “Mad Max 3.0” force, it’s all about believing and not giving up. And this optimism has brought them good luck, for in 2024 the group played at festivals all over Europe, from the Vieilles Charrues in France and Couleur Café in Brussels to the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. Their “Twerkanda” effect, a translation of their artistic approach, is a combination of a host of styles, Afro, disco, house and, of course, the Congolese soukous that makes you move and jump!
When invited this year to the Cabaret Sauvage in Paris, Fulu Miziki Kolektiv took along its ecological message. In fact, one of its members, Tshé Tshé, issued a plea to the world on the French media network France 24: “Let Africa not be the world’s trash can.” Join us at their upcoming Montréal show to support their fight – and have a blast at the same time!