TOTO BONA LOKUA – Bondeko

You can’t bottle magic. Should it ever be repeated, it will come naturally when the time is right. Which explains why we had to wait so long for Gerald Toto, Richard Bona and Lokua Kanza to reunite to record Bondeko, the follow-up to 2004’s debut Toto Bona Lokua. The vocal album transcended borders and traditions, mixed languages ​​and cultures and created a timeless yet contemporary portrait of the diverse African diaspora. Although it may have been tempting to quickly replicate album success with a copy, all three musicians preferred to pursue their solo careers. Until Toto finally suggested picking up the threads again. Like the debut, “Bondeko” was produced by No Format! label founder Laurent Bizo. Under his aegis, a playful as well as enigmatic album was created: virtuosic but spontaneous, artistic but not artificial. Sensual melodies and flowing, swinging rhythms overlap like roots, three unmistakable personalities become one. Their voices blend together as wonderfully as the harmonies of Crosby, Stills and Nash or Bobby McFerrin’s unique “vocal layering”.