Bongolution

Bongo Maffin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 5, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Lightyear
• ASIN: B00005Y1MX
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,580 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #61 in Music > World Music > Africa > Zimbabwe

Editorial Reviews

Bongolution, Bongo Maffin's fifth album, offers up an infectious multi-culti mix of raga, Afro-pop, dance grooves, and Latin music. The band, which is a trio of South African and Zimbabwean musicians on this album, infuse all of their music with a uniquely urban African style, even as they draw inspiration from around the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution, Revolution, Bongolution, November 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Bongolution (Audio CD)

I was so lucky to see Bongo Maffin in concert, which made me realise that they are real musicians and artists both on-stage and in studio.

Although I haven't heard their last CD (called IV), I have heard some of their previous songs before and can say that they have evolved musically. Some songs have a more r&b/house feel to it than what I had previously heard from them, but it's all very good and Bongo Maffin is still the same Bongo Maffin!

In fact, you can't really place this album within one genre, because it is filled with so many styles, from reggea (represented by appleseed) to hiphop (with stoan, the emcee) to r&b (with red, the female voice of the group) to house and kwaito! I don't know their language, but I've read several reviews that claim that their lyrics are very good and not superficial at all. Their songs bring messages to the african youth in today's South Africa, and in the CD's cover leaflet you'll see a short text below some of the songs describing the message for those of us who don't know the language.

My favourite song from this CD is The Way Kungakhona, a song that really makes me feel good! And in the end that is what Bongolution does, while at the same time delivering good lyrics and positive messages.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kwaito!, March 21, 2002

By 

Craig Clarke "Living After Midnight: Hard and... (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bongolution (Audio CD)

Bongo Maffin have been popular in Africa for years. Now this seminal Kwaito (from an Afrikaans word meaning "really hot house music") band have been given a chance to make it in the States with Bongolution, their first US release.

Well, all I can say is listen to it. This multi-layered music is mind-blowing. The mix of hip-hop, jazz, and reggae--with some electronic help--is wonderful and entirely successful.

Most of the songs are not in English, but don't let that turn you off. The language (usually chanted) is music in itself. "Laduma Izulu" is a prime example.

Turn yourself on to South Africa's pop music through Bongo Maffin's Bongolution.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bongolution, October 17, 2005

By 

N. de Villiers "Navarre Michel" (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga South Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bongolution (Audio CD)

This, the most recent Bongo Maffin LP, sees the departure of Speedy from the band. While a lot of what Speedy did on previous releases from Bongo Maffin can only be called annoying, he took something of Bongo Maffin with him when he left. That said, Thandiswa's voice is as amazing as ever (check out her solo album Zabalaza for more from her) and songs like "The Way Kungakhona", "Brave, True and Strong" and the uplifting "Twasa" soar. "Twasa" is a Tswana song whose lyris: "Ba Yo Twasa!" are litrally interpretted as "We [The World/Our People] Will Dance" and so we shall. Bongolution is a great place to start getting into one of south africa's best and most popular afro-pop bands.