A popular form of African rhythm that gained serious ground from the mid-'30s onwards, soukous brings nothing but pure sunshine to the table with its blend of uptempo Cuban rhythms, African drumming and frenetic guitar work. Paris-based Bongo Man was hugely responsible not only for introducing it to the European and US crowds, but also updating the form back in the ‘80s, with the rhythms gaining speed and encouraging the bold hip-shaking moves of kwassa kwassa—after which he named one of his albums. Start practising with these tracks.