Soukouss Essentials

Hailing from Central Africa, where seminal bands like Franco Luambo's OK Jazz first emerged, soon spreading east and west, and even all the way to the UK and France, soukous borrowed exhilarating shakes from the Caribbean, reprocessing Spanish rhythms and African drums into a new sonic alchemy. Taking on different names and reincarnations over several regions and decades—Congo, ndombolo, rumba—it's steadily been dominated by uplifting, complex guitars that make for a practically irresistible dancefloor and live soundtrack.