Kuduro is a music style from Angola that is known for its pushing electronic beats and heavy rap. Because of the influences from African rhythms it is sometimes described as Afro-Techno. It was created in the 90’s by Tony Amado. The word Kuduro has two meanings: On the one hand, it refers to the Portuguese words for “hard ass” and on the other hand, it corresponds to “location” in the traditional Kimbundu language.
It is known as well for it’s crazy dance style with fast shaking knees and elements of break-dance. Due to the music’s production in small home studios and its similarities in the style and context, the sound is often compared to funk carioca. In Angolas capital Luanda, the promotion is mainly being carried out by local mini van drivers during their on-duty service. They play new tracks and only if these tracks turn into hits there, the songs have a chance to be eventually put on CD.
Angolan migrants brought the sound to the suburbs of Lisbon where an own variation of the sound emerged. The most prominent artist representing this type of music today is probably Buraka Som Sistema. It was then French DJ and producer Frédéric Galliano who introduced Portuguese and Angolan Kuduro artists to a wider audience. He went on to create the Kuduro Sound System.
Recently some voices said that the fashion of Kuduro is declining, but other facts suggest a more positive development: Mad Decent recently released an EP in the Hollertronix series dedicated to Kuduro.
So, I’ve got some fresh kuduro tracks, thanks Thomas!
Tracklist:
01. Bruno M – Tá Vené
02. Os Vagabanda – Dois Tok
03. Rodrigão feat. Panda – Olha Hora
04. Puto Prata – Fala Yoyo
05. Puto Langa – Soldado Na Casa
06. Bruno M – To Rosa
07. Os Defayas – Ta La 3
08. Famila O P – Ngaxi
09. Os Lambas – Tá Faltar + 1
10. DJ Buchinho – Nail
11. DJ Tony – M.P. La
12. DJ De Gala – Azar
13. B.K. feat. Ti Lamba – É No Gueto
14. Yanilson – Faço 2 Tiro 2
15. Outro
By the way, the image above shows the proposal for the future flag of Angola that hasn’t been ratified yet.
Get kuduro MP3s here for example.
700 KUDURO VIDEOS KUDUROPEDIA
check out Makongo, the new Kuduru phenomenom, they got Portugal on lock!!!
Thanks for putting out these links. It is awesome that kuduro music is gaining popularity. I’m collecting kuduro video and music over at http://kuduro.wordpress.com/
Don’t know about vinyl, but we’ll certainly release loads of kuduro very soon – I’m in Luanda right now!!!!
BTW a couple of kuduro guys played for carnaval in Salvador, but in Rio it still seemed completely under the radar.
Check out http://www.akwaabamusic.com in 2 weeks or so for a specific release date.
Keep spreadin’ it!!!
Greg,
it seems that Kuduro is hipper in Brazil than I thought. There is a Kuduro dance contest going on at TV Recorde:
http://www.mundorecord.com.br/play/36cb4f22-1a9a-4daa-a41f-6d76280d6f12
Cheers
Re: Greg Yeah what I found in Paris are mainly through Lisboa or made by Cap Verdian people
Gregzinho,
no, there is no Kuduro in Rio as far as I know. DJ Dedé Mandrake just told me two weeks ago that he got a CD with Kuduro from an Angolan friend, but there is nothing to buy or even played at parties.
Cheers
Excellent stuff. Has kuduro made any inroads in Rio yet? I know there is a small, but I imagine much older (as in pre-kuduro) Angolan community in the Maré.
The lack of vinyl isn’t surprising given a digital scene. No different than funk carioca, natch. But if the demand isn’t there, the CDs won’t make it outside the homeland. I wonder how much of that is based on who emigrates? I have yet to see funk CDs in the Brazilian stores of the U.S., because the vast majority of Brazilian immigrants here are from Minas Gerais, Goiás, or the Northeast. Angola is much smaller than Brazil, but to the extent that kuduro is a Luanda phenomenon, if the Angolan expats in Lisbon and Paris aren’t from Luanda, no surprise that kuduro is hard to find.
Cool thanks for the links! Hit me up by email or on myspace we’ll exchange tracks!
Just finished to listen to the mix, really cool tracks!
Peace.
Buraka Som Systema (portugal) have released some vynil:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/buraka+som+sistema
Hey Guillaume,
thanks for the comment.
I just know those sites here to get more, only the quality of the MP3 is often low:
http://kuduromatic.podomatic.com/
http://kudurofiles.podomatic.com/
http://kuduro.podomatic.com/
http://kubass.podomatic.com/
If you like the tracks in the mixtape, I have more from the same CDs. And I have DJ-mixes and compilations from 2004 as well if that is of interest. Maybe I can post it here or send it…
Cheers
Hey there, I’m more than happy to see things popping here and there. My main point is that apart of the work of some activist middlemen (Flaming, Man Rec, Mad Dec) it doesn’t seem that we have a lot of new tracks that are coming out from Angola and are accessible. Maybe I didn’t research enough, maybe I’m wrong. But everytime I’m going to Paris, where Kuduro is big in the lusophone community, and I’m going to a specialise record store, they only have a few new cds every year. I just want to listen to something else than Buraka Som Sistema and Dj Znobia you know (whom I dig a lot though). Can’t wait for the Galliano release.
soundsgood, once again this is hot stuff
congrats
Flamin Hotz Records just put out a vinyl ep of Kuduro with Frédéric Galliano. We also plan on working with him ona full length CD with info on Angola and the roots of the music.
hit me if you want to feature some of the mp3’s
http://www.turntablelab.com/vinyl/0/0/57715.html
Hey,
I don’t think there is some of the Angolan style on vinyl…
Just the European stuff I mentioned in the post.
Cheers
Is it just me or is it impossible to find any of this stuff on vinyl? Apart from mad decent, do you know anyone else putting it out? Know of any on-line record shops where I can pick some up?