Formed in 1990 by Jupiter Bokondji from within the buzzing Congolese street music scene, Jupiter & Okwess have always been an irrepressible band. From early success across Africa to serious derailment by five years of ravaging civil war, then a breakthrough feature in the ‘Jupiter Rising’ documentary on Kinshasa lo-fi, Jupiter & Okwess have always looked to move forwards. They climbed aboard Damon Albarn’s African Express adventure in 2012, supported Blur, recorded on Albarn’s ‘Kinshasa One Two’ plus played at WOMAD and Glastonbury. They’re a band that do more than adapt to change, they thrive on it.
You can trace that creative reaction through all their music. The ‘Hotel Univers’ debut in 2013 and 2017’s ‘Kinsonic’ developed their foundational mix of Afrobeat drive, earthy Congolese funk, sultry Soukous and added rock muscle. Then came ‘Na Kozonga’ in 2021 which saw them wiring in other more inventive dynamics. Ana Tijoux, Rogê, Marcelo D2, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band brass section and even Beastie Boys collaborator Money Mark joined in with the fun.
Now comes the new Jupiter & Okwess album ‘Ekoya’ released via Airfono and for the first time they’ve taken a break from Kinshasa and recorded the whole bundle in Guadalajara and Mexico City. That might suggest an intention to delve deeper into the connections with Latin sounds, an avenue they began to explore on ‘Na Kozonga’, but clearly that’s way too obvious a step for this lateral-thinking combo. ‘Ekoya’ reaches way beyond a simple “Jupiter & Okwess go bossa” effort, the fusion is more fully charged than that.
Selele is the album’s kick starter, a jumping jit-fuelled celebration of choppy guitars, rubbery bass slides and skipping rhythms, garage-cumbia meets hyper-rumba with a street-scene vitality. There’s a boisterous joy to the mix of multi-voiced chorus, Jupiter’s earthy warble and guest singer Soyi Nsele’s brisk chirpiness. As the searing licks of rock guitar soar over the final bars, the dance party has begun. The congo-funking, samba rolling Les Bons Comptes keeps up the momentum, Brazilian vocal titan Flavia Coelho’s sultry tones swerving gracefully around Bokondji’s bassy rumble, while the stomping Solobombe completes the album’s energy-packed introduction. It’s as if Jupiter & Okwess had been stoking this high velocity surge ever since the last album.
Going on this first clutch of ‘Ekoya’ tunes it’s obvious that the band have plenty to say on this latest statement. Eight minutes in and they’ve already covered the loss of the Congolese rainforest, honesty, friendship and broken relationships, all wrapped in parable and proverb. It’s the poetic, sooth-saying realism of Jupiter & Okwess music which adds interest and depth to their songs. Not surprising then that ‘Ekoya’ sees them varying the dynamic in different ways to support their narrative. The title track, a song of resilience, swells with drama. Stripped back to guitar and vocal, the delivery is powerful, building urgently to a proud souskous shuffle topped by a hymnal choir. Shame about the sudden fade which seems to leave unanswered questions but Jupiter’s closing observation, “The crocodile flees the rain to take refuge in the river. Laughs best who laughs last”, does compensate.
Other thoughtful moments give ‘Ekoya’ the feel of a more reflective, maturing album likely to grow with familiarity. Na Bado as a ballad has an emotional, almost AOR lilt to it and closing track Tout Passera is softly sanguine, wise words resting on sombre guitar lines, wavering cello and emoting vocals. The tune adds a truthful reality to ‘Ekoya’, a resonance that’s also rings through Hay Que Eschuchar. This mid tempo, alt rock lullaby, a message to the young, unfolds calmly to a lo-fi snare pat and gospel-toned vocals. Steering neatly the right side of slushiness, the weary spoken word and dubby, mid- point pause gives the song its own identity.
This track is one of a handful where producer Camilo Lara (the brains behind the mega Mexican Institute Of Sound) takes over the desk. He brings with him Latino electro-pop panache and adds another dimension to the Jupiter & Okwess sound. Catch the disco-funk, Manu Dibango swagger to Orgullo, a pumping protest song with Mexican rapper Mare Advertencia’s spikey vocal stings, or the raucous, highlife meets power chords of Nkoyi Niama for audio evidence.
Production aside, the foundation of all the Jupiter & Okwess thrills on ‘Ekoya’ is the tight telepathy and effortless chemistry in the group. The meshing twin guitar of Eric Malu-Malu and Richard Kabanga plus the vitality of the Yende Balamba/Montana Kinunu rhythm section propel this band towards the extraordinary. Their prime jangling guitars, hot stepping rhythms, fizzing lead licks and full-blown vocals on Congo Blinders is the sound of complete musical refreshment. Ndanda sees them relishing rock riffs Witch style while on Eyabidile the band readily merge the hip rolling surge and tumbling tom toms of samba with a dizzy bundle of soukous fretwork.
So Okwess are clearly much more than a back-up for Jupiter Bokondji’s presence. This is an album where writing and arranging are a collective effort, committed to making this giddy afro-fusion music click. Poetic, multi-lingual and rich with African/Latin American synergies, ‘Ekoya’ sees Jupiter & Okwess travelling on but still breaking new ground.
Get your copy of ‘Ekoya’ by Jupiter & Okwess from your local record store or direct from Airfono HERE
