Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Don’t know what he was singing about but shit out me in a good ass mood

Very good, very groovy, 5 stars.

great

great!

Hermoso

Delightful album! Hard to feel anything but joyful, start to finish.

Great album. Had an amazing time and was fully relaxed.

Nice change of pace

So upbeat and happy! Loved it

Cinco estrellas no son suficientes. Ya vi que ni les gustó tanto Os Mutantes, esto seguro les dio hueva. En fin, es hermoso.

Fuckin love this

Love this! Need it in my veins!

3.5, really fun listen

If you ask most white people raised in the 80s/90s what they thought African music sounded like, they would open their mouth and this would come out. Apparently this guy SUPER SUCKS but i’m not here to judge his actions at the moment. While very nice, once you get about 3 tracks in and you know for the most part what you’re getting with the rest. Extra little score bump though for some stuff sounding straight out of an SNES/N64 game and no joke Obrigado sounds just like that Juicy Juice ad they used to play during PBS Kids minus the steel drum.

What a nice change of pace what I normally hear.

High-energy and interesting.

I enjoyed this one a lot! The album shows so much talent and has a pleasant vibe that makes you want to move along. Overall- very enjoyable

delightful

Precies wat ik nodig had op deze vrijdagochtend dat ik niet vooruit te branden ben. Dit geeft energie. Wat een heerlijke plaat, love it. Ik heb nu zin om met een coronatje in mijn hand op een festival naar deze man te luisteren. Geen moeilijke nummers, gewoon plezier. Hats, zo het weekend in. 8/10 Highlights Conte de fées

This was such a fun listen!

I just hearing “oi pussy” in an Indian accent for some reason… need another album of that

This mf out here thinking shit’s all sunshine and rainbows

This is lovely. Not a genre I am super familiar with but has a lot in common with Afro Caribbean music that I quite enjoy. I like this and am recommending it to a friend who I think would like it as well.

Very enjoyable vibe. None of the songs particularly stood out to me but I found it very pleasant. I feel like this is an artist I should have be familiar with but I was not until this listen.

Bem divertido

Quite incredible. Was not familiar with Congolese music, but the rythm is undeniable. While often overlooked, Africa has some of the best music I have ever heard

A bop. I'm sure I liked it only because I didn't listen to anything like this before, but bop nevertheless

This is so joyful. I keep dancing along. Feels a little retro My French (and Portuguese ?) is not great. So unfortunately, I can't appreciate the lyrics. Great vocals, good beats, will definitely revisit. It was nice having it on at work to vibe to, but not have it be super distracting

Hell yeah, dude. This is what I'm talkin' about

Wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but I really loved it

I don't understand a word but I love every bit of this. The choir, the drums, the flow of the music. I started bobbing my head at the first second and didn't stop until an hour later. This was a really fun experience and while I don't think that I will listen to this very often, having this experience was great!

Great vibes, agreeable melodies, awesome bbq album.

4/5 simply because I was starting to get a bit bored and then this was a whole new vibe

Enjoyed the general vibe of this one, even though some of the songs I didn’t necessarily enjoy . Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song - papa bonheur Least fav - dit jeannot

my spirit is lifted and my legs are dancing LET'S GOOO

it was a fun album to listen to, felt a bit like elevator/resort music but i also found myself dancing/swaying to some of it so wouldn't mind hearing it again!

This guy is getting review-bombed due to his crimes. Taking the album at face value, I l found it catchy and nice, not a bad listen for a Tuesday morning, and more palatable than a lot of albums on here. 4* POUSSA POUSSEZ POUSSA POUSSEZ Highlights: desespoir

Y? I think it’s chill.

Congolese music in styles I’ve never heard of (ndombolo, soukous) but no matter - pretty much anything from that continent is a guaranteed 4 or better from me.

I like the rhythms and the dance vibe but there really isn’t much variety. C’est bon ça! At the end of pretty much every song. Can’t give it all five but it was enjoyable. I bet his live shows are fun.

That was refreshing change of pace. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Very fun and happy album, which I really like. Danced along whilst listening. Would definitely listen to this one again!

very lovely! i think listening to this the day after graceland was really cool because it contextualized a lot of paul simon's stylistic choices. it's kind of crazy how a different vocal delivery can completely transform the tone of the song despite the bones being essentially the same. this felt so light and celebratory and warm, and the percussive nature of french really adds to the rhythms of this music.

Loved it, felt like i was on vacation! Very fun!

Est ce que j'irais le voir en concert...non Mais C'est un grand oui De superbes chansons de fête qui dure bien longtemps pour que tout le monde ai le temps de danse, une ambiance formidable tout du long Ça me rassure aussi sur le fait que le mec qui gère ce site le fait pas que du UK/US Ce qui nous donne un total de 4

Nice Caribbean sound. Makes you feel like you are in a bar.

I do enjoy French afrobeats.

Good stuff.

This was great! Definitely on the list of favorites.

Totally dug this!

I really liked this! Not something I likely would have stumbled across on my own, but it was so pretty and felt joyous. Parts of it reminded me of Caribbean and Polynesian music. It’s just so pretty and I loved that I understood quite a bit because I used to speak French!

Great mood

I had fun

A wide-variety of genres in one album, even a single song starts somewhere and ends completely differently. The whole album has a celebration feel to it. Only Congolese album in the list apparently. Read that the genre that this album belongs to is tcha tcho, kwassa kwassa, soukous and congolese rumba :-) Favorite track: Koweit, rive gauche other picks: papa bonheur, desespoir

This is the reason I love this project, getting to hear artists I would have probably never known about (although it doesn’t happen near enough) - I don’t think I’ve heard any Congolese music before so I had a really lovely time with this. Smooth and cool!

Repetitive but delightful vibe

great

Neil young has a voice that captivates and keep you interested. Its soothing sound

Fun African world music, and a chance to brush up on my French phrases.

Sounds like a Disney soundtrack. In a good way. 4

Some parts of this were fairly corny, but a lot I liked! I appreciate the rare times this list delves into less Euro-centric music, especially for the change of pace. This was a nice one.

Some sun on a rainy February weekend. These vibes always bring me back to Poindimié

I never would have heard this record without doing this exercise. I am glad I got a chance to listen.

At first it seemed like pleasant background music. Then it started to grow on me.

Dance all night to those beats!

Very interesting album. I loved his sound.

Based on the apparent mix of French and German(?) orthography, my guess was that this artist was from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that was correct. I am satisfied to have won this game with myself. Anyway. I'm not even sure really what this genre would be called, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. The first song, "Papa Bonheur", specifically, gave the feeling of being in an open-air market in Little Haiti in Miami or basically anywhere where it's hot and humid and people are gathered to share food and music and try to catch a nice breeze. It made me happy to listen to. Generally I like that this album tends towards pretty long songs and gives tracks their time to settle into really nice grooves. I would happily listen again, though I'm not sure if I will.

This is a real banger, solid grooves and vibes. It's a touch dated and it's not really revelatory but it's enough to make me want to listen to more and dig deeper. Really enjoyed this.

(Rapist) King of Ndombolo, but I love congolese music

I enjoyed the hell out of this. It’s thrown my understanding of what my music taste is out the effing window.

fun afro

All vibes

Nice sounding album, very relaxing for background music.

i have no real frame of reference for this to form a nuanced opinion i can get down with it though it does sound quite dated but that's almost a good thing

See on täpselt selline asi, mida ma kuulaksin kuskil Viljandi folgil ja täiega vaibiksin kaasa. Sellist asja kuulaksin pikalt. 4/5

This album reminded me of Sebastian from The Little Mermaid! Thus, I’m giving 4!

Light and happy background music

Another situation where I like the art but not the artist. Assholes can be talented musicians!

A breath of fresh air in this stuffy list

I have no idea what they're saying, but it's a fun vibe and makes me feel like I'm on vacation somewhere new.

This album is a lot of fun. Upbeat and dancy! I like the length of the songs being 6-7 minutes and can imagine this being incredibly good fun live to dance to. However, I do think the album is a bit samey and on first listen not each song is particularly distinctive - but that could change on multiple listens. Pusa...pusé!!!!

(4) Koffee Alomide is a Congo musician. This is a four star because according to the Rolling Stone Record review guide: the best introduction to an artist’s work for curious listeners.” This is my first time listening to him, but not my first time listening to the Congo beat. “Agbepa is considered one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Congolese and African popular music.[11][12] His lyrics often explore themes of love, politics, technology, success, infidelity, religion, chicanery, and disillusionment.[13][14][8] Through his music and stage performances, he introduced the slower style of soukous known as tcha tcho[15][16] and popularized a flamboyant fashion subculture called La Sape, alongside Papa Wemba.”

****A fun, easy listening, and upbeat album

A very good Afro-beat album and a great vocal style and guitar riffs throughout. Some of the early 90's production is a little much but the songs are strong and, though the lyrics are all in French, I could enjoy it without knowing a damn thing about what these songs were about.

I don’t know what he is saying but I’m jammin. 7/10

Not my thing, but clearly talented

Fav: Désespoir Least Fav: Koweït, Rive Gauche How can people hate this?! It’s a nice fun time and fits perfectly with spring and summer

Rhythmic fun

Aijettä kun on aurinkoinen levy! 4/5

This was fun. Very upbeat! I saved 2 song. "Porte-monnaie" and "Dit Jeannot". I feel like this album influenced Drake alot.

It all kind of sounded the same (partially because I don't understand French), but it was a delight to be introduced to this artist.

Good vibes! Not quite my cup of tea tho.

This made me feel like I was at a daytime folk fest stage. What a good time! I liked that some of the album was in French and some in Lingala. Enjoyed the beats and at time, random sounds. Very fun. Would listen again.

This was such a cool album. I loved the instrumentation. Almost every song just had a fun upbeat vibe

J’avais écrit une description que j’ai oublié de sauvegarder et j’ai la flemme d’en réécrire une autre mais je suis monstrueusement heureux d’entendre une autre langue que de l’anglais

I have no idea what we call this genre, where in Africa or the African diaspora this dude is from, or what in the hell he is singing about, but it had me absolutely bopping in my office chair.

This was much fun

Fun, lively, and well-produced music that would be great background for a summer pool party. Not really what I would listen to on a regular basis but fun nonetheless...

Glad to be introduced this. This guy was apparently involved in the whole Sape thing, which is tight. Real mellifluous singing and polished bass. Almost too polished, sometimes this sounds like the soundtrack for tropical levels of video games from the 90s/00s. Anyway this invented that, and is very much its own thing and cool.

some positive and soft sounding african dance music this day, light percussion and acoustic chords accompany uplifting and rhythmic vocals sung in french. this album is nice. i like the folk dance subgenres from different countries, and i feel like especially with music from african roots, there's a natural and positive energy to how many songs are composed, the sort of casually happy progressions where whenever you're 9 or 90, you can't resist the urge to dance with the music. it's not something i'd listen to normally, but it stands pretty well.

Great vibes and makes me want to get up and dance. I'm glad I got exposed to music like this

with this album, its even easier to find rumblings of discontent ab the methodology with which this list has selected african records than it was with the khaled record i got a bit ago, and even not knowing what the more authentic version sounds like i Do hear the late 80s/early 90s western pop production-isms that i suppose could mesh weirdly with the more local song structures. whether such criticism is more owed to the artists or to the curators of the book, or how much its even due at all, im not the one to ask ab that, but as far as actual music goes i like this one! tho i liked the khaled record even more so u dont gotta trust me ig. i started off thinking that maybe the song tradition this is pulling from ,which starts with a more melodic and vocal focused first half before breaking into a dance-oriented second part (often with encouraging vocalizations) would be a bit exhausting for a full record and it sort of is, but theres a lot more divergences in shape than that lets on, including some lovely full length ballady songs (which are extra sellout-y and westernized i suppose but i rly like them lol). should probably check out some of this guy (and khaled's) other records for a less constrained picture, but just as much i think this is plenty fun and sunny and often beautiful. hilarious and amazing album cover too...it takes inhuman confidence to pull off those pants.

I liked it. I may never listen to it again, however. 4 stars

Good Stuff

It was fun. Not my usual thing but it’s nice to hear something different.

Certain countries and styles are massively over-represented on this list. So it's a real pleasure to get something completely different, that I would never have listened to outside of this project - and for it to be pretty enjoyable as well. This isn't something I'd listen to on the regular. But definitely interesting for a spin or two. And all vocal deliveries (background choirs included) are on point. Solid 3.5, rounded up.

Lekkie, taneczne, trochę Vibe jakichś wysp karaibskich czy innych takich że Hawaje

Really enjoyed this different vibe. No discernible favourite track. However I listened to the track list start to finish. I did have it as background music to a family meal. Which it provided a fun upbeat atmosphere. I feel listening to the album solely with headphones would be a little trickier. Having the odd song every so often was great and the backing track of a night is a great choice. Not sure any individual song stands strong enough to warrant my investment for the average 6min song length. As an album enjoyable

Blije feestmuziek uit de Kongo, al het voor mijn ongeoefende oren ook van een Caraïbisch eiland kunnen komen. Hoe dan ook, zonnige deunen voor zonnig weer, je gaat vanzelf meedeinen.

Een voor ons westerlingen een wat afwijkend plaatje. Omdat het wel interessant klinkt, pak ik het boek er eens bij. Ze kunnen het wel promoten zeg: "vooral voor een vrouwelijk publiek", "heerlijk stroperig", "met overvloedige synthesizerstrijkers" en "geprogrammeerde percussie". Gadverredamme, dat wil je toch niet horen? Ze bedoelen het overigens allemaal heel positief. Dat blijkt wel uit de rest van de pagina. En het klopt ook ergens allemaal wel. Het is best een fijne combi, die geproduceerde afrikaanse muziek. Niet alleen de computer duidt op een bredere oriëntatie. Ook het begin van veel nummers is vrij westers. Zo hadden we het begin van Désespoir (yep, stroperig, bah) begin jaren '90 gewoon op onze westerse radiozenders voorbij kunnen horen komen. En hebben enkele nummers zoals Dit Jeannot aan het begin iets wat ook uit Volendam had kunnen komen. Maar al die nummers bouwen vanaf dat westerse toch op naar een dansbare afrikaanse climax. Met in de hoofdrol een geinig gitaartje.

graphic design is my passion

Enjoyed although songs did sound very similar by the end!

Cool calypso album and fun vibes, but songs very similar

4 good vibes

4 stars. Really good despite not being able to understand the song lyrics. However, just because I can't understand the lyrics does not mean I can like the music.

Happy, funky music.

A very chill and strangely uplifting album even though I don’t understand a word. It feels as though I’ve been teleported to the beach with people dancing around.

So 90’s. Always fun to hear bongo xylophone sounds

Caught the vibe. Good stuff.

deff a great argument for not playing to a click even tho Koffi is Congolese, he makes perfect pina colada music

No better day to have this sort of music than when the sun is shining and you're driving round the countryside, this has probably led to it getting one more star...

V weird

Fit right in

20/1001 This was a nice addition to the list and frustrated me a bit. Not because it didn’t belong, it absolutely belongs. I throughly enjoyed this record and am glad I learned about Koffi. It frustrated me because I am only 20 albums in and I’ve had 6 70s folk rock (4 being Neil Young) and 3 post punk/new wave albums. 1001 albums should be more diverse with more albums like this (not from US or UK). I’ve looked at the list and know of amazing albums from Spain, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Brazil that didn’t make the list. I think The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, and Bruce Springsteen could all be limited to 2 or 3 albums and the point would still be made. I know it isn’t possible to truly represent every country and/or genre, but the fact that about 12 or so artists own about 10% of this list when I know all their names and most of their work and there’s more artist like Koffi out there that aren’t on the list is a bit frustrating. To be “need to hear before you die” should entail more of the “obscure” and less of the stuff we in the US here in every grocery and gas station everyday. Ok, end rant, begin review. This was so good, so fun, so energetic. I was at my desk dancing in my chair for the full hour (I listened to 3 more hours of Koffi and related artists afterwards). I speak a little French but by and large I knew no lyrics, but it didn’t matter. The passion and joy is his voice spoke a language we all can understand. The beats were infectious and the rhythms were captivating. Loved the album.

Funky fun album for summer vibes. I actually really enjoyed this album while working outside.

Hell yes, so amazing this is on the list!! Loved it!!

Fantastic!

This rocked, it was such a fun listen. 4/5 Fav song: papa bonheur

African (?) instrumentation, baritone (?) singing

Not bad. Varied and high energy. French. 4/5

FINALLY, something unfamiliar! French Afropop? More more more please

Millions of Africans can’t be wrong, can they? And think of all the dancing that gets done to this music. One finds that good enough, plus it's sweet and pleasing to hear.

Fun African Congolese Soukus. Fantastic beat. Even has some cheesy ballads. Quite varied album. Makes you want to dance.

This was so fun!

His voice is mesmerizing and the layers of rhythm happening are really fun and infectious.

What a cheerful album :), can't help but smile while listening, feels like a tropical party, very fun and joyous.

One knows nothing about this style of music, other than it's delightful to listen to. One knows nothing of this artists' legal troubles, other than they are most unpleasant to hear about.

yes

This is great music. I’m grateful this project is exposing me to more world music. Koffi has a delightful voice, and the music has a wonderfully light, almost tropical feel.

Good dinner music

Overall, lovely beats and great voice. I think he was singing in his native language? I had to google what languages he sings in, and I found two, neither of which I speak or understand lol I like the changes in tempos and beats within a song because otherwise they would be too simple and repetitive.

Very nice … and so great not to have a USA or UK album …

It's pretty

OK, not really my thing but pleasant and easy to listen to

This was so fun. Groovy and beachy. Stand-out: Koweit, Rive Gauche

Not really my thing, but decent enough. I'll give it a 4 even if I'll likely never listen to it again.

Sunny 3.6

I liked this a lot. Upbeat and fun. Don’t know much about this kind of music so it’s tough to be too discerning, but I’ll return to some of these songs, especially the first two.

Wikipedia on this guy is pretty dicey - sounds like the R. Kelly of the Congo. Separating art from artist, some really fun grooves and great voice on Koffi. So many similarities with Vampire Weekend (learned Kwassa Kwassa from their song Cape Cod is named after a Congo dance) and way more obviously Paul Simon Graceland - sucker for the little looped arpeggiated licks with the bright guitar tone you hear across the three of these guys. Stars for this album, but also just for opening up a new genre/region - have really only heard Fela and Amadou & Miriam previously - would be interested to hear artists more related to this style.

Este es uno de los discos más importante de la World Music. El congoleño Koffi Olomidé nos habla de amor y política o incluso de religión cultivando un estilo lento del "soukous" y muy cercano a la denominada rumba congoleña, un estilo creado en Cuba por los exclavos africanos que, en una especie de viaje de ida y vuelta, volvió a África en los años 30. El tema "Désespoir", sin embargo, vira hacia algo así como un R&B dulzón que le dio cierto éxito en occidente.

Exuberant African music.

The album grabbed my attention at first, but then it became less and less interesting. I'll round up...

Ah this is what graceland was aiming for

It's always a treat to get albums from abroad. Not my usual listen but I enjoyed the experience.

most of the songs are too long but it reminds me a lot of 90's Jimmy Buffett in a nostalgic way (yes I know the influences work the other way around but guess which one I was listening to constantly as a kid)

No idea who this is, but I really like this album.

Super, wie sich die Rhythmen kaum fassen lassen und durch die anderen Instrumente noch verstärkt werden. Obwohl es für mich nicht eingängig ist, finde ich die Platte gut.

Melodisch, rhythmisch, macht gute Laune

A buoyant and jubilant slice of afro pop and traditional music.

4.5, cool to hear different music I wouldn’t normally hear

If you told me vampire weekend listened to this before their debut, I wouldn't be surprised

Can't be in a mood listening to koffi. Vibes are v strong can't understand the lyrics but he makes me feel everything's OK. 7/10

Gar nicht meine Musik. Trotzdem: sehr besonders!

This album is fun. I don’t love the production, but that’s not too damning.

A lot of fun. I'm not sure I love it but it's decent stuff.

You know that feeling of not understanding a single word of the song's lyrics? That's the feeling! The only word I understood from the entire album was actually the song title "Obrigado" (which means Thank You) because it's in my native language (Portuguese). But the question is: WHO CARES ABOUT THIS? My body didn't stop moving for a single moment. The instruments are very well played and have a captivating rhythm. It's very similar to another genre of music here in Brazil called "Lambada". And that means that I really felt at home listening to this album.

Instantly in a good mood :)

lauleskelija poika kongosta... Conceptual..

Really likeed thisbalbum and enjoyed it. Although I had NO clue what they were singing about. I appreciated the new sounds rhythym and tempo of the compositions. It was really needed cause Im getting a lot of albums I own or have listened to in my lifetime. I feel it was a bit commercial but thats OK. Happy music for clueless listeners like myself.

Love that African sound!

Just funky and fun as hell, gives me island vibes at times. Glad I get to experience lots of world music through this list. Cant really pin down a song that stuck out but the album as a whole made my day way jauntier.

Pretty fun afrobeat album! I’m a sucker for albums that aren’t in English so this tickled me just right

Dit swingt echt bizar hard. Een soort Afrikaanse jazz plaat, gaat alle kanten op. Nummers zijn lang, maar elk nummer eindigt in een soort volle swing vaart, super leuk en vermakelijk. Wel jammer dat nummers vaak wat rustiger en ingetogen beginnen voordat ze echt los komen. Dat leidt bij mij toch ene beetje af en zorgt dat ik niet altijd de volle aandacht er bij heb. Maar als we dan losgaan, dan gaat het ook echt hard als je het mij vraagt! Sowieso complimenten, de laatste tijd zijn de albums weer best wel verrassend, dit is ook het 2e afrikaanse jazz album in een week tijd? Als elk nummer de hele tijd was zoals elk nummer eindigt was dit misschien 5 sterren, maar omdat de beginstukken vaak wat relaxter zijn kom ik uit op 4. Sprak ik maar beter Frans... Als voorbeeld van een nummer dat echt los komt: luister naar Port Monnaie en dan vanaf minuut 4 ongeveer gaat het helemaal los terwijl het daarvoor een vrij rustig nummer is. Maar goed, ales bij elkaar; lekker album, pure vibes, lekker eens wat anders. FAVO: Papa Bonheur, Desespoir(2e helft), Qui Cherche Trouv'e, Porte Monnaie

Very enjoyable despite making the mistake of reading up on the singer's life. Can't fault the music, though.

Enjoyed this way more than expected. Really strong melodies and musicianship. Grooves for days.

Альбом кайфовый и заразительный. Меня бесит узколобость авторов. Э, ну давайте включим музыку не на английском - а ну давайте народную африканскую врубать, лол кек Японский джаз, французский шансон, немецкое техно - пошли нахуй.Единственное что было классное - краут-рок

For fans of world music - if you liked the South African music on Paul Simon's "Graceland", then you will like this album. No idea what he was singing about because the lyrics are in French and Congolese, but I really liked this album.

Fun and danceable. I don't know how often I'll seek it out, but I thoroughly enjoyed my first listen.

Ive moaned before about Apple Music genres being a bit reductive. Today’s album is described as “African”. Imaging an album’s genre being described as European. That would be silly, and this is the same. Anyway, let’s listen to this one! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Désespoir This is another album and artist that I haven’t heard of before. Added to this is the fact that I don’t understand the language, adding to its mystery with my stupid little ears. From an entirely sonic point of view, this sounded really pleasant and had me bopping away throughout. I like how different the music sounds to what I’m used to, without sounding too zany. I recommend this. It’s good.

Leuk man, kan hier wel lang naar luisteren. Snap waar stromae de inspiratie voor z'n laatste album vandaan haalt. Ook schattig dat ie het feit dat ie in deze lijst staat in z'n spotifybio heeft gezet.

This was not at all what I was expecting, but it was good, a fun listen, and something surprising out of the 1001.

Definitely an interesting listen, gave me similar vibes to Masayoshi Takanaka, 8/10

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

Great African music. Great and legendary artist.

I tend to rate international albums pretty high, I like being exposed to new stuff. This one had me vibin and dancin

That was fun!

Best part of doing this list is getting given music to listen to that is not what would usually be played by me. This is great example. It took me a few false starts as it didn't hook me at first. Once it did I found I was in a soundscape of grooves and beats. I couldn't understand stand a word but Koffi Olomide has such an amazing range. File under listen to more Ndombolo

refreshing sounds

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

I really enjoyed this. Fun and catchy.

So easy to listen to and such a unique sound. Really enjoyed it.

Very warm

This isn’t necessarily my cup of tea for an entire album listen—but it did have me dancing as I made breakfast in the kitchen while I listened!

Great vibes but in french

Interesting album. Much different than what I usually listen to, but I enjoyed it.

fun Congolese music, can see the roots of jamacan music or maybe it influenced this. Can't understand it but fun

I enjoyed approximately ⅔ of this album. If I'd heard the other ⅓ at another time, on another day, I'd probably have enjoyed it then, but the relentless sunny optimism of this music is rather taxing on a snowy November day.

Really fun

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

Delightful. I’m a big fan.

love the hypnotic interwoven intricacy of melody & rhythm

I don't know how this album can even be counted as music as it's just noise and screaming noises. If this was an art istalation I would understand but you can't really call this music. I can see what they were going for but it didn't really work.

LP, other albums

Fun to listen to! Unfortunately, the album review spent most of the time here criticizing the choices of African music albums to include in the 1001 albums list rather than teaching me about the artist. However, it was a little vindicating to hear someone else criticize this list!

This one deserves more than one listen. It's good.

Very pleasant indeed

Fun background music for dinners

I liked this a lot! What joyful warm and rich music this is. I found it very soothing and uplifting to listen to

Thoroughly enjoyable. Just a niiiiice vibe

Very enjoyable music and very fun to listen to.

listened

Allegro e caraibico

4+/5

This did seem a bit repetitive but I was still bopping along

fun

Good hot drinking music

Good fun and maybe because the sound is the new to my ears - but fresh and just simply puts you in a good mood. A tad long but not too much - I’d definitely pick this one up again

haut de gamme / koweït, rive gauche was a refreshing listen. i have lamented the lack of world music part of this project, so koffi olomide's presence is very appreciated. but despite my excitement, i want to be fair in my review. this album was quite fun. the beat was fast but playful. it could be soulful, or deep with african music, or even encouraging the listener to dance along. this album makes for a good introduction to this kind of music, and it's no wonder olomide is so well known in all of africa. 3.5

Not quite a 4 for me but almost. I liked having it on in the background

This album caught me pleasantly by surprise. Very African good vibes, like classic African sound from the 90s. 7/10.

When I saw the album cover I instantly knew this album was going to be fantastic, any person who puts all their effort into the music and absolutely none into the album cover always produces feel good music

Amazing album. Just not something I would normally listen to. Still, a great listen.

Loved it. French afropop? Yes

Wasn’t sold on this at first, but Desespoir really hooked me. Instrumentation is interesting and lively, really glad I listened to this.

Nice vibes :)

Jag njöt av de extra mycke då ja visste att ja aldri kan lyssna pånytt

Vampire Weekend owe a lot to this guy.

Liked very much

Riktigt dansant och roligt. Det svänger!

Conversational baritone singing - very nice and easy to listen to. Vairety of rhythms are fun. Enjoyed this one greatly.

7/10. Pretty good

Really solid

Quite enjoyable, pretty lengthy, but very nice to listen to

A lot of the music I really love is influenced by this style of music. I can hear early Vampire Weekend in this down to the tone of the guitar and the lines played (I think the mixolydian mode is used quite a bit in both). Overall, I found this album to be enjoyable and accessible and it helped me to connect Afrobeat as played by western musicians with how it’s played by Africans. Both forms are similar and involve borrowing from the traditions of the other.

Koffi Olomide is a new artist for me. This is a very happy sounding album, with some interesting rhythms throughout the album. I enjoyed listening to somethin new, even if I couldn't sing along. With only one listen, the album falls somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but I did like it enough that I'd be willing to have a second listen.

Jammin

This is some uplifting, upbeat, refreshing music. I listen to the album twice in a row.

Unexpected surprise. Couldn’t understand a word but really enjoyed the rhythm

Some french, some other stuff. Pretty good

groovy as fuck, 8/10

Happy music! I love this style of music - call it soukous or jit, it's impossible not to want to dance

Awesome music that feels nostalgic in a strange way, not that I ever visited the Congo but it really puts you in a specific time and place.

I had no idea what to expect with this one but I bloody loved it.

Eve is such a good influence :) I'm learning to appreciate this kind of music much more! Honestly super fun and unique, at least to me.

Rating: 7/10

I don't know what he's saying, but it sounds fun

Enjoyable, uplifting

I like this style of music.. not a compete triumph but I’m feeling generous!

No conocía al artista pero fue muy interesante encontrarlo en esta losta

La verdad me deleitan las guitarras en el soukous; sí me dan ganas de bailar jajaaj. En esta nota, me gustó bastante Qui cherche trouve y la segunda parte de Désespoir y el final de Conte de Fées. Mood: Kwassa Kwassa todo el día y toda la noche.

This right here reeks of the 90s and makes me want to go to the beach, I love it

Música "africana". A veces me recuerda a Juan Luis Guerra.

Disco alegre (aunque esto pareciera estereotipo de la música de África o del Caribe), con ritmos que suenan a artistas de Senegal o Camerún que he escuchado antes. Quizá no aprecio mucho que haya pistas muy largas, pero definitivamente como música ambiental funcionan bien. Es un disco al que regresaría sólo en momentos específicos, pero no para oír diario. Mis canciones favoritas: "Koweït, Rive Gauche", "Qui cherche trouve" y "Conte de fées". 8.5/10

The music was groovy with strong melodies

Fattede intet, men det lød okay

I danced a little

Between this guy and Serge Gainsbourg, this generator has given me the absolute lowest opinion of the French

A nice relaxing sounding album the music is really good nice vocals but the chilled instrumentation is the winner here

Kind of fun.

The sterile production slightly hinders the sunniness of the material

# Koffi Olomidé - *Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche*: An In-Depth Review Koffi Olomidé's 1989 double-album *Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche* stands as a significant, if deeply divisive, entry in the canon of Congolese music. Selected for the influential *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* list, it serves as both a gateway to soukous for Western audiences and a point of contention regarding the genre's authenticity and the artist's legacy. --- ## Music, Production, and Sound The album occupies a fascinating and often uncomfortable space between the vibrant rhythms of Congolese soukous and the polished, commercial production of late-1980s Western pop. Musically, it is undeniably rooted in the soukous tradition: it's built on infectious, danceable guitar riffs and propelled by a driving rhythm section. The music is bright, melodic, and often euphoric . However, the production is where the album makes its most controversial decisions. The album is drenched in a distinctly "90s as fuck production" . It features heavy use of synthesizers, prominent reverb, and a clean, almost sterile sound that many critics argue sands off the rougher, more organic edges of traditional soukous. One review compares its sound to "royalty free vacation music" playing at a resort, while another notes its resemblance to "Super Nintendo songs in CD quality" . This aesthetic can feel inauthentic to those seeking a purer African sound, but for others, it represents an intelligent and tasteful fusion of European and African musical sensibilities . A particular critique is aimed at the track "Désespoir," which is singled out for its sickly-sweet, R&B-influenced balladry, described as a "horror show" that sounds like "the kind of music a nine-year-old would imagine adults having sex to" . ## Lyrics and Themes As the album is sung in French, its lyrical content is often less accessible to an international audience. For many listeners, Koffi Olomidé's voice becomes another instrument in the mix, contributing to the overall melody and vibe rather than conveying specific narrative meaning . However, when listeners do tune into the lyrics, they can add a layer of discomfort. The delivery on several tracks is described as being "way too into the lyrics making them sound creepy even though I don't know what he is saying" . This perception is inseparable from the artist himself, whose controversial personal history casts a long shadow over the listening experience. The topics of love and longing in his music are haunted for many by the knowledge of his criminal conviction . ## Influence and Legacy As a representative of Congolese music, the album's legacy is a paradoxical one. On the one hand, its inclusion on the *1001 Albums* list has introduced countless listeners to soukous who would not have otherwise encountered it . It is a significant entry point, and for many, it is a lively, infectious, and thoroughly enjoyable record . On the other hand, it is criticized for representing a "watered down" version of the music, made for a Western audience . Critics argue that the album is a poor choice to represent the rich musical landscape of the DRC, as it feels overly commercial and "tepid" compared to other, more authentic African sounds on the list. Its legacy is thus tainted by accusations of cultural compromise and the artist's personal conduct . --- ## Pros & Cons **Pros:** * **Infectious and danceable:** The core soukous rhythms and melodies are genuinely upbeat and engaging, making it an easy and enjoyable listen on a surface level . * **Effective gateway:** It serves as a non-intimidating introduction to Congolese music for a Western audience, piquing interest in the genre . * **Skilled musicianship:** The musicianship is of a high quality, and the blend of African and European elements is, at times, successful and tasteful . **Cons:** * **Dated and over-produced:** The heavy reliance on 80s/90s synth sounds and reverb can feel "offensively inoffensive" and like a "cruiseship" soundtrack, stripping the music of its vitality . * **The "Désespoir" factor:** The album contains at least one track, "Désespoir," that is widely considered a terrible, saccharine misstep that drags down the entire record . * **The artist's shadow:** For many, the album is rendered unlistenable due to Koffi Olomidé's criminal conviction, making it impossible to separate the art from the artist . * **Cultural compromise:** The album is seen by some as a commercialised, "tourist-friendly" version of soukous, failing to represent the authentic musical spirit of the DRC . **Overall, *Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche* is a frustrating listen.** It's an album that will make you dance while simultaneously questioning its authenticity, its place in musical history, and your own complicity in consuming it.

there's some really good music on here. the second song, " désespoir", was a nice little chameleon of a song and a good example of why sticking with something can be worthwhile. the first 3 minutes feature some of the most godawful, 80s synth sounds imaginable, but then they open into some pretty great afrofunk. really nice album overall

Musica africana arreglada para el público internacional. Resulta agradable e inofensivo.

This was pretty good musically. Obviously I have no idea about what the lyrics say but I moderately enjoyed this

Isn't really my thing. It's exactly what I think about when I think of music from central Africa, and it's very melodic and beautiful at times.. I just don't know when I would realistically listen to this.

Surprisingly, pretty enjoyable, despite not understanding a word.

Very novel to listen to

Had to check the book on this one as there wasn't a lot of information online. According to the book, Olomidé has become the best selling artist on the African continent, and is particularly popular with women. He sings mainly in Lingala and French (I understand the French parts, it's pretty straightforward stuff for romantic and dancefloor music). He has over 24 albums, so why this one? Probably because it was a hit with Western audiences (assuming so, based on this book's approach). I'm not an expert in Ndombolo music, and I admit I'd never heard of this guy until today, so I'll say this - this is a fine, poppy, smooth effort, that quickly grows on me the more I get into the groove. I might give more of his stuff a chance, but it's a little too polished here for it to be an all time favorite. With that said, shit like Duck Rock should have been replaced for more African content such as this, Mbaqanga, highlife, etc. as it's great to discover pop music from around the world. We need a book of 1001 albums for every continent and subcontinent!

BOMBA Fun to listen to, cool rhythms, love the glass breaking sound effects, love the sound changes half way through

Nice vibe

Not bad. With a little less 80s cheese this album could be very good.

The energy was totally there and had my attention throughout.

Pretty decent world music.

I thought this was good, however i couldn't really distinguish between the different songs after a while. just very samey. I think if I knew what the lyrics were saying it may be a different story.

Really interesting genre that I would love to explore further, just not from this guy. There is so little African music in this book and yet they felt the need to include the pedo. Maybe would raise it a star if the artist didn't disgust me. It's much harder for me to separate art from artist when the artist is still alive. I do really like African music though so I'll still give it 3 stars. Favorite Track - Papa Bonheur Least Favorite Track - Koweït, Rive Gauche ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pretty good

Cool album. Not really my thing. I find it pleasant, but not something I would seek out.

Enjoyed this while playing it, but it didn't stick with me at all.

3 porque não é mais uma white man band dos 60

I love these African tunes. But I have heard better

I don't understand the lyrics at all but the music is good. 3 stars or C+.

Needed a conga line to enjoy this one.

A fun dancey album, but held back by its sameness that's made worse by the near full hour-long length. Favorite Track: Qui cherche trouve

Fela Kuti for soccer moms

Pleasant music to listen with a few songs standing out. Not sure I would seek it out again to play it, but I would listen to it again. Conte de Fees was my standout. 3 stars

Latin Sounds, die Texte auf kongolesisch verstehe ich leider nicht ;-) Entspannte Musik, angenehm zu hören. 3/5

A decent album from the Congo that suffers from a lot of 80s production tropes. Fun if you can get past that.

Good album. Very good rhythms.

Kann nicht viel dazu sagen, ganz ok.

pleasant! interesting and different. not 100% my thing but i had a fine listening time. felt a little mocked by all the smooth, easy breezy vibes while working at my desk but that's not this guy's fault!

Интересный музыкальный опыт, никогда ничего подобного не слушал, Яндекс даже крутил только подобную после альбома, вот такое это уникальное

It might technically be very good, but the music did not speak to me and I didn't really like it.

This eas nice. It shows my age perfectly but it reminds me of the kids shoe gullah gullah island on nick Jr from a billion years ago. That might be my own ignorance because of the afro centric themes in both but I dont think im that far off. Cameroon and Angola/Sierra Leon are at least in the same corner of the continent. But back to the album at hand. Its just pretty fun. Not anything im looking to listen to all the time but it was a nice listen here. Nothing stood out that much for me but it was solid from start to finish. I knwo almost zero French so im at a loss on what's going down bit I get the island vibes. Even though its not an island. It has that feel. Very laid back and chill. The production is also very indicative of the time. It feels pretty 80s. But all in all its solid. Does what it set out to do well enough. Worthwhile listen

upbeat, danceable, curious, of its time.

Enjoyed this & was happy to learn more about continental African pop music. This isn't too dissimilar to what you'll hear on African radio stations but I imagine Olomide is the biggest name in the genre given his presence on this list and also his (dicey!) Wikipedia page lol. It's not extraordinary or playing around notably with texture but it's a good sample of what's big & has a light danciness to it that I appreciate. Would love to listen to this while playing the low stakes tables

It's not bad. No clue what he's singing about, but it's got a nice beat, his voice is good, smooth and warm. It feels a bit over produced, like they spent time cleaning it up for the record, not bad but it's noticeable. Kinda takes something out of it. Good put on and dance around your house music.

Favorite Track: Papa Bonheur

He is not afraid of a preset rhythm on his keyboard but that does not stop the album from being great - which is a pity as he is so problematic .

A fun exploration into the Congolese styles of soukous and kwassa kwassa! Definitely a bit Westernised, but I'd definitely prefer that over having nothing from this region at all.

Ok yeah a quick trip to his Wikipedia page shows that this was a very flawed individual, but this was a pretty fun album overall!