Kizaba, whose first name is Lionel, continues his Afro-futurist adventure with Future Village, a logical but different follow-up to Kizavibe, released in 2022.
Future Village is the fruit of a collaboration between Kizaba, percussionist, beatmaker and composer, and Eli Levinson, the prolific DJ and producer.
The result is a dance album, but not just a dance album. It’s a skilful blend of Congolese influences, technology and crossbreeding.
In that sense, it’s very Montreal. We hear French, English, Lingala and Kikongo. Haitian Wesli converses vocally with Kizaba on Kimbala about Haiti’s African heritage. Montrealer Sébastien Lacombe also adds his voice to the title track, which is the most musically experimental, flirting with Afro jazz.
Fumu Na Betu, which opens the album, is a magnificent track, mixing beats with multiple voices that evoke ancestral songs from the Congo, where Kizaba grew up.
This is followed by Sapologie, the most danceable piece, which appears in three different versions on Future Village.
Politics is present in some of the lyrics. Notably Les églises de Kinshasa, which condemns the greed of the religious to the detriment of the people. Or Future Village, which denounces the disparity of wealth and corruption in the Congo, while adding that “freedom is on the way”.
All this to say that this album is both festive and complex. Kizaba, Radio-Canada’s musical revelation for 2024-2025, continues to follow his path. And what’s next is very promising.
