Somanti

by Chouk Bwa & the Angstroemers

Overview

Haitian roots ensemble Chouk Bwa and Brussels-based experimental musicians Frederic Alstadt and Nicolas Esterle first met in 2016, and released the excellent collaboration Vodou Ale in 2020, merging distortion and dub effects with electrified rhythms and group chants. The musicians reunited after COVID-19 lockdown and performed concerts throughout Europe in 2022. Somanti is a studio recording of the material played during these live sets, and while the approach hasn't noticeably changed much since the first album, the result is still dynamic and powerful, and it's just as easy to recommend. The title track storms out of the gate with heavy bass, pounding drums, and passionate vocals, escalating into a faster rhythm during the second half. The following tracks generally stick to furious drumming enhanced by electronic beats and wigged-out delay effects, while Jean Claude "Sambaton" Dorvil leads the other members of Chouk Bwa in rousing call-and-response chants. "Vini We M" adds an extra boom to the driving bass, and others like "Kimelem" and "Sala" carry an atmosphere of industrial dread. The shorter "Kote Nap Mete Lwa Yo" is the album's biggest diversion, mainly consisting of half-spoken, a cappella female vocals and a minimal amount of electronic drifting. Finale "Viyaya Keke" starts out with more restrained drumming, then builds repetitive vocals into an accelerating tempo, and ends in a fit of sinister laughter. Somanti is every bit as fiery and spirited as Vodou Ale, and already Chouk Bwa & the Angstroemers seem to have established an exhilarating new genre of their own. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	10/27/2023
Label:	Bongo Joe
UPC:	7640159731931
Rank:	87210

Tracks

1. Somanti
2. Monche Pyè
3. Agwetawoyo
4. Vini Wè M
5. Fèy Nan Bwa
6. Kimelem
7. Sala
8. Kote Nap Mete Lwa Yo
9. Viyaya Keke

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chouk Bwa & the Angstroemers   Primary Artist
Frederic Alstadt   Electronics
Maloune Prevaly   Choir/Chorus
Edele Joseph   Choir/Chorus
Jean Rigaud Aimable   Drums,Choir/Chorus
Sadrack Merzier   Drums,Choir/Chorus
Riscot Cedieu   Drums,Choir/Chorus
Nicolas Esterle   Electronics
Gomez Henris   Vocals

Technical Credits

Frederic Alstadt   Group Member,Mixing,Mastering
Vincent Poujol   Mixing
The Traditional   Composer
Ulla Hase   Graphic Design
The Angstromers   Producer,Engineer,Arranger
Michel Goyon   Artwork
Nicolas Esterle   Group Member
Gomez Henris   Composer