Assume Crash Position
| Assume Crash Position | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2010 | |||
| Venue | Ndjili Quartier Nº1 and Halle de la Gombe, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |||
| Length | 56:09 | |||
| Konono Nº1 chronology | ||||
| ||||
Assume Crash Position is the second album by the Congolese musical group Konono Nº1, and the fourth volume in the group's Congotronics series, released by Crammed Discs.[1]
Reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 86/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The A.V. Club | A−[4] |
| Los Angeles Times | [5] |
| Mojo |  [6] |
| MSN Music (Expert Wtiness) | A–[7] |
| musicOMH | [8] |
| NME | 8/10[9] |
| Pitchfork | 5.7/10[10] |
| PopMatters | 9/10[11] |
| Uncut | [12] |
Thom Jurek, in his review of the album for AllMusic, wrote that, for fans of Konono N°1, "Assume Crash Position is a necessary addition to the catalog. For the intrigued, this is an excellent starting point."[3] Chris Martins of The A.V. Club gave the album a grade of "A−", noting that, despite the band's collaborations with such artists as Björk and Herbie Hancock, the album features "guest appearances not from their international cadre of high-profile fans, but from their friends in Kinshasa."[4] Martins concludes that, after "so many 10-minute epics", the more stripped-down production of the final track on the album, "Nakobala Lisusu Te", "[offers] a glimpse into the soul of the band, which thankfully has been resistant to change."[4]
Douglas Wolk of Pitchfork wrote that the album features the group's signature "amazing sound of electric likembes (metal thumb pianos) playing through fuzzed-up amps and jury-rigged mics, augmented by drums, the occasional whistle, and some call-and-response yelling. Reportedly, the band is used to playing for hours on end. They could go on like that forever, which is both Assume Crash Position's strength and its flaw."[10]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Konono Nº1.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wumbanzanga" | 11:52 |
| 2. | "Thin Legs" | 1:59 |
| 3. | "Mama Na Bana" | 7:46 |
| 4. | "Makembe" | 10:24 |
| 5. | "Fula Fula" | 5:06 |
| 6. | "Guiyome" | 3:11 |
| 7. | "Konono Wa Wa Wa" | 11:41 |
| 8. | "Nakobala Lisusu Te" | 4:10 |
| Total length: | 56:09 | |
Personnel
[edit]Adapted from the album's liner notes.[13]
- Mingiedi Mawangu – likembe, vocals, percussion
- Augustin Makuntima Mawangu – likembe, vocals
- Menga Waku – vocals, bass likembe
- Makona Mbuta – likembe
- Antoine Ndombele – bass likembe
- Pauline Mbuka Nsiala – vocals
- Vincent Visi – drums
- Ndofusu Mbiyavanga – percussion, tam tam
- Duki Makumbu – bass guitar
References
[edit]- ^ "Assume Crash Position". Konono Nº1 on Bandcamp. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ "Reviews for Assume Crash Position by Konono No. 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Kokono No. 1 – Assume Crash Position". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ a b c Martins, Chris (29 June 2010). "Konono N°1: Assume Crash Position". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Weiss, Jeff (7 June 2010). "Album review: Konono No. 1's 'Assume Crash Position'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ Played next to Congotronics, this sounds in parts like the work of a whole different band, yet the buzz and fizz still thrill. [Jun 2010, p.104]
- ^ Christgau, Robert (25 February 2011). "Rough Guide to Desert Blues/Konono No 1". MSN Music. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ Burgess, Andrew (17 May 2010). "Konono No 1 – Assume Crash Position". musicOMH. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ Turner, Luke (15 May 2010). "nme-2010-05-15". NME. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ a b Wolk, Douglas (10 June 2010). "Konono N°1: Assume Crash Position Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Elliott, Richard (9 June 2010). "Konono No. 1: Assume Crash Position". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ Contributions from guitarist Manaka Peppe Felly and members of Kasai All stars add texture ansd crank up the general air of euphoria even further. [Jun 2010, p.92]
- ^ From the album's liner notes.