Bongo Maffin
Bongolution / Lightyear

Bongolution is a great example of contemporary African dance-house, with an eclectic style that moves the groove. Tswana rap and Shana rhythms riddle the listener into an African dance trance.

This South African band touches upon a variety of styles mostly in their native tongue of isiZulu. While sounds of reggae, rap, hip-hop and what might be considered trip-hop interweave themselves throughout Bongolution, Bongo Maffin carries a certain French influence, similar to Air or MC Solar. But these are only a few sounds these good people make. Youíll also hear a dark, rooty side that resonates throughout the disc. And positiveness shines out like an African sunrise.

ìTwasa,î for one, is a great dance tune on its own merit, a spiritual passage into a greater state of consciousnessóa person who helps not hurts. This jump, jump mystic of a song takes on a young personís rite of passage, and celebrates who we are during great changes. Itís spiritually connected to nature and community and a great representation of Bongolution

In the interest of journalistic fairness, I should tell you that I know this guy. With an eye to objectivity (which at any rate sits at the bottom of the music criticís most untraffic-ed desk drawer), Iím tempted to just write out a sequential list of the samples DJ Jester lays down on his new disc, Heavily Booted, and let you decide for yourself.

There are too many cuts to count, however, and instead of a tally, Iíll leave the matter at this: In the first five minutes of the album, Jester seamlessly mixes Paul Simon, The Bangles, DJ Rob Base and the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop (and then some bagpipes and George Strait with Young MC laid over the top for good measure). Hard to imagine, sure, but it takes a quirky mind and a steady hand to make it work.

Jester, a.k.a. Mikey Pendon, has both in spades. Though many consider him anathema to the deep heart of Texas, the Filipino Fist has been mixing it up in San Antonio for years. His first record, River Walk Riots, broke out two years ago and instantly made waves with spinerati around the nation. SeÒor Pendon went on tour with his new creation shortly afterwardóaboard the Bocamobile, a van that ran the summer festival circuit touting meatless burgers. After returning to the Alamo City, Jester returned to the thriving art scene that spawned him, spinning at poetry slams and scouring record bins at the independent music shop where he used to work. His second release, Introducing the Neat Beat, was a collaborative effort of the newly formed Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine, and laid it on even thicker than Riots.

Now comes this little gem, a set scratched-up at a momentís notice for live broadcast on New Yorkís WFMU show with DJ Jesuspants. Though rougher than his last release (which included everything from instructions on how to cha-cha to a self-referential slap on the wrist of any erstwhile artist who leaned too heavily on Simpletext), the record is built to please at 33-1/3, or whatever speed CDs turn at.