Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Negative: 0 out of 11
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Apr 29, 2016
    80
    Konono No. 1 Meets Batida is a resoundingly successful collaboration, and any cut from it would sound absolutely killer on a dancefloor.
  2. May 2, 2016
    80
    It's a meeting of musical minds, and the resulting electro-traditional dialogue is fascinating.
  3. Mojo
    Mar 29, 2016
    80
    There are some surprising nuances in the set. [May 2016, p.91]
  4. Apr 4, 2016
    80
    The resulting album, jubilant and enthralling, is really a three way collaboration between the two artists and Kenis.
  5. Apr 22, 2016
    68
    It's an impressive influx of new talent, but you would be hard-pressed to hear it for most of the album.
  6. Q Magazine
    Mar 29, 2016
    60
    The No. 1ers' frenzied, hypnotic soundwhirl of old is leavened by the addition of precision-tooled beats and a shiny top-coat production. It works magnificently on the propulsive Yambadi Mama, yet less so when the motorik thumb pianos are left virtually unaccompanied. [May 2016, p.111]
  7. May 20, 2016
    80
    Lacking a common language (they were forced to communicate via sign language) the sessions--recorded in a garage on the outskirts of Lisbon--have nevertheless resulted in a winning hybrid of styles.
  8. Apr 25, 2016
    80
    While this album is inarguably Konono’s slickest offering yet, slick remains a relative term with these lo-fi guys.
  9. May 9, 2016
    70
    Konono No. 1 Meets Batida isn't quite the sustained and magical dialogue it might have been, but it's an intriguing cultural experiment with moments of real alchemy.
  10. The Wire
    Mar 29, 2016
    80
    If you prefer your African music to be more dancefloor-friendly, Batida's Portuguese take on Konono has plenty going on. [Apr 2016, p.54]
  11. Uncut
    Mar 29, 2016
    70
    A set that feels avant and outre and yet deliriously danceable at the same time. [May 2016, p.75]

There are no user reviews yet.