– GUERRILLA WARFARE –

Here’s a not-so-fun fact for you; in Denmark, it rains or snows every second day. Think of how depressing that would be. You would think that if you lived in a country with that much precipitation, the last thing you’d want to do is make the most sunny-sounding record of the year.

And yet, that’s exactly what Copenhagen six-piece The KutiMangoes have done in Afrotropism. The band’s third album “shows how people can create something together that can outgrow all of them” according to band founder Gustav Rasmussen.

Money is the Curse is the first single from said release.

And while the track maintains the album’s general upbeat, danceable M.O. what I really like about Money is the Curse is the glint of evil in its metaphorical eye.

Johannes Buhl Andresen’s menacing keyboard lines, combined with the moody horn melodies of Rasmussen, Michael Blicher and Aske Drasbæk mean the whole piece comes across like a battle between Fela Kuti and, erm, Battles.

Equal parts Afro-jam and spy thriller soundtrack, Money is the Curse is a welcome, if unexpectedly dark twist in the generally luminous outlook of the album.

Afrotropism is out now through Tramp records.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

DA LATA: THUNDER OF SILENCE
TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON: TRAPPED IN THE AMERICAN DREAM
YELFRIS VALDÉS: ANCESTRY
JULIA KENT: SALT POINT

P.S. You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the 45 RPM Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

– SV –