Angola Rd's Music Genre: Exploring Their Unique Sound

Angola's music scene is incredibly diverse, with a range of musical styles and influences. The capital city of Luanda is home to various genres, including kazukuta, semba, kizomba, and kuduro. Semba, in particular, has a long history in the country and remains popular today, with new artists emerging annually to pay homage to the veteran semba masters. Angola's music has also been influenced by wider trends and the country's political history, including the introduction of European instruments like the guitar and piano by Portuguese colonisers. The country's civil war also played a significant role in shaping the music scene, with many musicians using their art to form a new image of independence and nationalist politics. Today, Angola continues to produce some of the most tuneful, danceable, and remarkable pop music, with a unique sound that blends traditional rhythms and modern influences.

Angolan pop music can be divided into five categories: kizomba, hip-hop, kuduro, semba, and Afrohouse

Kizomba

Kizomba is a social dance and music genre that originated in Angola during the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is a national heritage of Angola and means "party" in Kimbundu. Kizomba is characterized by a slower, romantic, and more sensuous rhythm than traditional Angolan semba music. It emerged as a fusion of semba, Angolan merengue, kilapanga, and other Angolan music influences. Kizomba songs are mostly sung in Angolan Portuguese.

Hip-Hop

Hip-hop has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread African-American influence. Angola has a lively hip-hop music scene, with popular crews like Conciencia da Africa, Atitude Violenta, and Pobres Sem Culpa. Angolan hip-hop is characterized by the influence of American hip-hop beats with a Portuguese flow, mixed with African rhythm and some Caribbean influence.

Kuduro

Kuduro (or kuduru) is a type of music and dance that originated in Luanda, Angola, in the late 1980s. It is characterized by its uptempo, energetic, and danceable rhythm. Kuduro was developed by producers who sampled traditional carnival music like soca and zouk béton from the Caribbean, techno and accordion playing from Europe, and combined them with a fast four-to-the-floor beat. Kuduro is primarily a genre of electronic dance music.

Semba

Semba is a traditional type of music and dance from Angola. It has its roots in Massemba and means "a touch of belly buttons," which is one of the most recognizable and entertaining movements in semba. Semba is very popular in Angola and has been for a long time, even before the country's independence from Portugal in 1975. New semba artists continue to emerge each year, paying homage to veteran semba masters. Semba music often conveys a broad spectrum of emotions and is used to tell cautionary tales or stories about day-to-day life and social events.

Afrohouse

Afrohouse, also known as Afro-house or Afro, is a subgenre of house music with its roots in South Africa. It combines the soulful and deep elements of house music with African sounds, instruments, and vocals. Afrohouse has gained popularity across the African continent and beyond, with a strong presence in clubs and music festivals.

Semba is the most popular genre of music in Angola

Semba is a traditional type of music and dance from Angola. It is the most popular genre of music in the country, with new semba artists emerging each year, paying homage to the veteran semba masters, many of whom are still performing.

Semba music is characterised by its lively rhythm and upbeat tempo, and the use of a wide range of traditional musical instruments. The genre is known for its unique blend of traditional and modern instruments, including the mbira (a thumb piano used in traditional African music), the marimba (a percussion instrument similar to a xylophone), the guitar, the bass guitar, and various types of drums such as the conga, bongo, and djembe.

The basic rhythm of semba music is based on a 2/4 time signature, with two beats per measure. The first beat is emphasised, while the second is less pronounced, creating a distinct "shuffle" feel with a syncopated rhythm. This syncopation, along with polyrhythms and call-and-response patterns, gives semba its dynamic and infectious sound.

The subject matter of semba songs often revolves around day-to-day life and social events, often conveying cautionary tales or stories in a witty manner. This versatility has made semba the go-to style of music for a wide range of Angolan social gatherings, from funerals to parties.

Semba has also served as the predecessor to other music styles that originated in Angola, such as kizomba and kuduro. Barceló de Carvalho, known by his stage name Bonga, is an Angolan singer who has successfully popularised semba music internationally. He, along with other renowned semba artists like Paulo Flores and Carlos Burity, have contributed to the enduring popularity of semba in Angola and beyond.

Angolan music has been influenced by the country's political history

Angolan music has been heavily influenced by the country's political history. The country's national identity, "angolanidade", was created and reinforced by its music.

In the 19th century, a mixture of Mbundu and Portuguese culture emerged in the region. Kimbundu, the language of the Mbundu, was the predominant language of the elite in 18th-century Luanda. Even those of Portuguese descent with considerable stature who resided locally spoke Kimbundu, often in preference to Portuguese.

In the 1800s, Angolan musicians in cities experimented with worldwide popular styles, including waltzes and ballads. With the arrival of the 20th century, big bands began to sing in both Portuguese and Kimbundu.

During the colonial period, the Portuguese imposed their culture and religion on the native population. However, traditional forms of music remained. In the 19th century, proto-nationalist movements emerged with a demand to revive traditional culture, including music.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Angolan recording industry experienced its heyday. National Radio of Angola (RNA) was one of the biggest promoters of traditional music and continues to be so today. However, with the arrival of national independence in 1975, many Angolan musicians fell out of alignment with the cultural agenda of the communist government, which had largely disregarded traditional practices. This created tension between the ruling class and musicians, who "used music to form a new image of independence and nationalist politics".

Angolan music has also been influenced by wider musical trends. In the early 1980s, for example, Angolan popular music was deeply influenced by Cuban music.

Angolan music has influenced the music of other Lusophone countries and Latin American countries.

Angolan music has been shaped by the country's multiculturalism, with more than 100 distinct local ethnic groups, as well as Portuguese descendants, other Europeans, and immigrants from various African regions, all contributing to the rich tapestry of traditional Angolan music.

Liceu Vieira Dias, also known as the 'father of modern Angolan music', is credited with transposing Angola's percussion sound to the Western guitar idiom, along with his group Ngola Ritmo.

Angolan music has also been influenced by the civil war. Many displaced people from rural areas moved to the biggest urban centres, bringing new rhythms to the capital city, Luanda.

The capital city of Luanda is home to a diverse group of musical styles

Angola's capital city, Luanda, is a melting pot of diverse musical styles, reflecting the country's rich cultural history and influences. Here is an exploration of the vibrant music scene in Luanda.

Semba

Semba is a traditional Angolan music style that has evolved over time and is considered the predecessor to various music styles originating in Africa. It is deeply rooted in the country's history and remains popular today, with new semba artists emerging annually to pay homage to the veteran masters. Semba is characterised by its upbeat rhythm and sensual, intimate dance style. Bonga, also known as Barceló de Carvalho, is arguably the most successful artist in popularising semba music internationally.

Kizomba

Kizomba is a partnered social dance that has gained worldwide attention, especially in Europe and North America. It is derived from an upbeat semba rhythm, with dance moves characterised by "a touch of the bellies." The biggest producer in the Kizomba field is Nelo Paim, who collaborates with Afonso Quintas and LS Productions. Eduardo Paím, Nelos's older brother, is also a well-known kizomba artist with 10 albums released and concerts worldwide.

Kuduro

Kuduro is a newer, more electronic music movement that combines traditional Angolan Kilapanga, Semba, and Soca with Western house and techno influences. The main proponent of kuduro is the international group Buraka Som Sistema, but there are also many artists working on the national scene and a growing number of independent producers.

Other Musical Styles

Luanda is also home to other unique musical styles such as kazukuta, kizomba, and rebita. Just off the coast of Luanda, on Ilha do Cabo, a distinct style of music featuring the accordion and harmonica, known as rebita, has emerged. Luanda's musical landscape is ever-evolving, with influences from neighbouring countries and worldwide trends shaping its sound.

Luanda's Historical Music Scene

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Luanda's music scene flourished, with the National Radio of Angola playing a pivotal role in promoting traditional music. Artists like Bonga, Os Kiezos, Jovens do Prenda, Prado Paim, Alberto Teta Lando, and Lourdes van Dunen gained recognition during this era. However, with the arrival of national independence in 1975, many musicians fell out of favour with the communist government due to their embrace of European culture during colonial times. This tension between the ruling class and musicians led to the use of music as a form of resistance and a means to define a new image of independence.

Traditional Instruments and Rhythms

Angola's multicultural fabric is reflected in its musical instruments and rhythms. Idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, and chordophones are used in traditional ceremonies and celebrations. The kabetula, kazukuta, rebita, massemba, kilapanga, tchianda, and kakoto rhythms are just some of the diverse sounds that make up the traditional music of Angola.

Traditional Angolan music uses a variety of instruments, including idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, and chordophones

Idiophones, such as the saxi or katxakatxa (commonly called the maraca) and the bavugu, an instrument of the Kung people consisting of three greased gourds played on the thigh, produce a sound through the vibration of the instrument itself without the use of a membrane or string. Bavugu is played by striking the gourds with a stick.

Membranophones, including the ngoma (drum or tam-tam) and the mpwita, are instruments that use a membrane or skin stretched over an opening to create a resonant sound when struck. The ngoma was once used to send messages, while the mpwita is a friction drum that appears to have originated from the Kongo region.

Aerophones, such as the mpungu, vandumbu, and njembo-erose, are instruments that produce sound by splitting air and can include horns and flutes. The mpungu is a type of horn adopted from Kikongo, the vandumbu is from the Ambwela group in southwest Angola, and the njembo-erose is made from an antelope horn with a beeswax resonator and is unique to the Herrero group in southwest Angola.

Chordophones, such as the hungu or mbulumbumba, are instruments that use strings or cords to create sound. The hungu, also known as the berimbau in Brazil, consists of a bow and a string. String instruments are also played by rubbing or pinching; the kalocha, for example, is a type of violin with three strings, while the tchiumba is pinched and has five or more strings with a resonator box.

These instruments are used in a variety of cultural contexts, including rites and ceremonies to mark occasions such as birth, puberty, marriage, hunting, rain chants, liturgies, funerals, and the end of mourning. The diverse instruments and styles of traditional Angolan music reflect the country's multicultural identity, shaped by its ethnic diversity and historical influences.

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