Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers – Somanti Review

What does Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers sound like?

A deep bass-driven assault on the senses from Haiti and Belgium.

The review of ‘Somanti’ by Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers

With Chouk Bwa being a six-piece Haitian traditional band and The Ångströmers being a Belgian electronics duo, the pandemic kept the two sides apart for years. Reunited again in 2022, the eight went on a spate of live shows, finding time to record between them. ‘Somanti’ is a result of that intensive reconnection and outpouring. Inspired by the live set, this album feels like a complete concert experience.

‘Somanti’ is deep and dark. Chouk Bwa have always said they channel the intensity of Haitian vodou in their polyrhythms and vocals, but this is the most intense they’ve ever been. What’s more is that The Ångströmers’ electronics aren’t there for lightness this time – they’re deeply rooted in speaker-shaking bass lines, too. If you need to test your speakers’ bass and low end – ‘Somanti’ is the album to whip out. Only one track is not ferociously hammering out wooden percussion, clacking sticks, and a bass buzzing kick drum. It’s full steam ahead throughout.

Songs lack tonal melody in the traditional song sense. Instead, the melodies are driven by call-and-response vocals. One leads, and the group follow with a secondary response. Tracks like ‘Monche Pye’ and ‘Sala’ keep the call and response separate, but this is where the vodou mysticism and psychedelic nature of the music come in. Other tracks like ‘Kimelem’ and ‘Agwetawoyo’ use echoes and phasers to bleed the backing vocals around the speakers like they are rallying cries from other worlds. Add on the frantic percussion and subwoofer-frazzling bass, and the senses can get overwhelmed. Less melody, more trance is the way of this album.

By taking this trance-like approach, the album takes a ceremonial form. Some songs are reimagined from the 2022 ‘Ayiti Kongo Dub‘ release and are darker, less bombastic, and more aggressive. Its drum and voice commanding absolute respect, and losing themselves in the music. The finale, ‘Viyaya Keke’, is almost entirely rampant drums spiralling into an ever more intense frenzy before bursting into manic laughing. The laughing almost transitions to crying by the end, and it’s that kind of visceral outpouring of energy and emotion that Chouk Bwa’s percussive trances provide.

‘Somanti’ isn’t the easiest listen, but it rewards the listener. Play it loud in the dark, and just let your body go with the flow. It is a wild ride. With Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers’ live album ‘Live at Cate OTO’ releasing last week, I wanted to share this beauty first before then trying out their true live form.

Recommended track: Agwetawoyo

---

Support Higher Plain Music

Higher Plain Music is part of the Higher Plain Network – a one-man indie media project. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. In return, you’ll receive additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and free downloads. You can also donate using PayPal. Sharing the website helps too or using the affiliate buy now links on reviews. I receive a few pence per Amazon sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. I’d love to make this a full-time media network and your support can make that happen. Thank you.