Kinshasa One Two

Kinshasa One Two is an album recorded by Damon Albarn alongside ten producers of the newly established DRC Music (Democratic Republic of the Congo Music) group, to benefit Oxfam's work in Congo.

Kinshasa One Two
Studio album by DRC Music
Released	30 September 2011
Recorded	July 2011 Kinshasa, Congo
Genre	Congolese Afrobeats trip hop electronica worldbeat ndule
Length	51:14
Label	Warp, Oxfam
Producer	Various
Damon Albarn chronology
The Fall (2010) Kinshasa One Two (2011) The Singles Collection 2001–2011 (2011)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(71/100)[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Mixmag	[1]
Pitchfork Media	(6.8/10)[3]
Q	[1]

Background

Recorded in Kinshasa, Congo, within five out of nine days spent there[4] during July 2011, the album was intended to shine a light on contemporary Congolese musicians, featuring more than 50 local performers, notably Nelly Liyemge, Jupiter Bokondji & Okwess International and Bokatola System. DRC Music is composed of producers Damon Albarn, Dan the Automator, XL Recordings managers Richard Russell & Rodaidh McDonald, Jneiro Jarel, DJ Darren Cunningham aka Actress, Marc Antoine, Alwest, Remi Kabaka Jr., Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Kwes.

Album was released digitally by Warp Records on 3 October 2011, followed by a CD edition in digipak and a deluxe vinyl edition plus three bonus tracks later on 7 November 2011,[5] with album artwork by Aitor Throup and Hardy Blechman.

Song information

Damon Albarn himself sings on "Hallo", also the only single from the album, released promotionally on compact disc. The song "Love" is completely a cappella with no music and serves both as an interlude and prelude to "Lingala". There is a hidden track only on the CD. Also, a code to access three further bonus tracks, including a heavy version of track 6, "Lourds", is given in the CD/vinyl booklets.

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Hallo" (featuring Tout Puissant Mukalo & Nelly Liyemge)	Richard Russell & Damon Albarn	3:38
2.	"K-Town" (featuring N’Gotshima & Bebson)	Dan the Automator	3:51
3.	"African Space Anthem" (featuring Ewing Sima)	Jneiro Jarel	3:06
4.	"Love" (featuring Love)	Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs	1:02
5.	"Lingala" (featuring Bokatola System & Evala Litongo)	Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs	4:56
6.	"Lourds" (featuring Yende Bongongo)	Yende Bongongo, Bokatola System	2:18
7.	"Respect of the Rules" (featuring Loi X Liberal)	Richard Russell	3:05
8.	"We Come from the Forest" (featuring Bokatola System)	Bokatola System	4:29
9.	"Customs" (featuring Bokatola System)	Kwes	2:32
10.	"Virginia" (featuring Magakala Virginia Yollande & Yowa Hollande)	Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs	2:59
11.	"Ah Congo" (featuring Jupiter Bokondji & Bokatola System)	Rodaidh McDonald	3:59
12.	"Three Piece Sweet Part 1 & 2" (featuring Bebson)	Actress, Kwes, Remi Kabaka Jr.	3:44
13.	"If You Wish to Stay Awake" (featuring Washiba)	Kwes, Richard Russell	3:12
14.	"Departure" (featuring Bokatola System)	Kwes	7:08

Digital download bonus tracks

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
15.	"Americaaan"	Actress
16.	"Congosmo"	Jneiro Jarel
17.	"Lourds (Heavy)"	Jneiro Jarel

• A card in the booklet for the CD version, and also along with the double vinyl, features a unique code to access album download plus three bonus tracks: "Americaaan", "Congosmo" and "Lourds (Heavy)".

Personnel

• Damon Albarn – vocals, synthesizer, bass guitar, omnichord, producer, programming
• Richard Russell – producer, engineer, programming, effects
• Dan the Automator – producer
• Jneiro Jarel – producer
• Actress – producer
• Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – producer
• Marc Antoine – producer
• Alwest – producer
• Remi Kabaka Jr. – producer
• Rodaidh McDonald – producer, engineer
• Kwes – producer
• Stephen Sedgwick – engineer, mixing
• John Foyle – assistant engineer
• Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
• Aitor Throup – art direction
• Hardy Blechman – art direction
• Simon Phipps – photography
• Gareth Pritchard – retouching
• Tout Puissant Mukalo – vocals
• Nelly Liyemge – vocals
• N’Gotshima – vocals
• Bebson – vocals
• Ewing Sima – vocals, percussion
• Love – vocals
• Bokatola System – vocals, percussion, producer
• Evala Litongo – vocals
• Yende Bongongo – vocals, producer
• Loi X Liberal – vocals
• Magakala Virginia Yollande – vocals
• Yowa Hollande – vocals
• Jupiter Bokondji – vocals
• Washiba – vocals
• Cubain Kabeya – drums, percussion
• Okwess International – percussion
• Odon Asok – percussion
• Boyo Kani – percussion
• Lionel Kizaba – percussion
• Pay Kumbi – percussion
• Bercy Makamba – percussion
• Michel Nsimi – percussion
• Bitsindou Scafio – percussion
• Pierre Sylvaine – percussion
• Djanga Weny – percussion
• Tshetshe Yenge – percussion
• Tshamala Mufubela – flute
• Padou Nkoyi – guitar

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Australia[6]	30 September 2011	Digital download	Warp Records
Germany[7]
Ireland[8]
New Zealand[9]
United Kingdom[10]	2 October 2011
France[11]	3 October 2011
Italy[12]
Portugal[13]
Spain[14]
Canada[15]	4 October 2011
Mexico[16]
United States[17]

Physical release: 7 November 2011

References

1. Reviews for Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music - Metacritic
2. Kinshasa One Two - DRC Music | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
3. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15874-kinshasa-one-two/
4. "Actress interview: Clubbing in the Congo | Juno Plus". Junodownload.com. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
5. "Blur News – Damon launches DRC Music (updated) – Aug 1, 2011". Vblurpage.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
6. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
7. "iTunes – Musik – "Kinshasa One Two" von DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
8. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
9. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
10. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
11. "iTunes – Musique – Kinshasa One Two par DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
12. "iTunes – Musica – Kinshasa One Two di DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
13. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
14. "iTunes – Música – Kinshasa One Two de DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
15. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
16. "iTunes – Música – Kinshasa One Two de DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
17. "iTunes – Music – Kinshasa One Two by DRC Music". Itunes.apple.com. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2013.

External links

• Kinshasa One Two at AllMusic
• Kinshasa One Two at Discogs (list of releases)
• Kinshasa One Two at Metacritic