Makongo’s ‘Passport’ Launch Blends Music, Migration and Resistance
Govanhill collective Makongo launched their new album ‘Passport’ at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, in partnership with Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR).
‘Passport’ was born from the frightening rise of far right politics and the tired churn of the “stop the boats” rhetoric. Rooted in themes of migration and resistance, the album offers a charged response to the scapegoating and the violence of nationalism whilst insisting on solidarity and joy as political tools.
The evening kicked off with a soul-soothing set from Ace V!s!on, whose spoken-word leaning performance hovers between rap and confession. Ace has complete control of the audience, he can shift the energy from dancefloor hype to quiet reflection in a matter of seconds. His energy really bounces off the friends he collaborates with onstage, infecting the whole room with warmth and urgency.
A difficult act to follow, but Soul Level Collective comes with pronounced energy. The multicultural collective brings the party, at times having a bit too much fun with the soundboard, but nevertheless they deliver spirit, unity and pure energy.
After a powerful speech from LMHR’s Lorna brought the room firmly into focus, Makongo took to the stage. With ten members from seven countries (who all just about squeezed onto the stage), their diversity is immediately audible. The band delivers a fusion of sounds and genres; hip-hop meets funk, jazz, African rhythms and electronic textures in a vibrant melting pot of sound.
Whilst the recorded version of ‘Passport’ is more dense and layered, the live show gives the music room to breathe. Bigger, looser and more communal, Makongo embraces crowd chants in improvised reprises, encourages strangers to hug and share the mic and actively breaks down the barrier between band and audience. A real-time demonstration of how participation creates collective power.
From the woozy opening sitar of ‘Nguzo’ to the mantra-like chant “all is one, one is all” in ‘Rise up’, Makongo’s set moves through the extremes without settling. The fire of ‘The Drums’ gives way to the choral calm of ‘Pessoas’. ‘Hustling n’ Bustling’ paints a vivid picture of contemporary life under capitalism whilst ‘Office Negro (Rainbow Corporation)’ skewers corporate multiculturalism with quick-paced vocals and electronic flourishes. Rich and deeply human, the set laughs in the face of heavy themes without diluting their impact.
Live, ‘Passport’ reflects the realities it speaks to; complex, chaotic and occasionally overwhelming. But, it is underpinned by what Makongo offers, something radical: a vision of community built through shared struggle, movement and joy.
