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Various Artists: Tradi-Mods vs Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics

Crammed Discs

Tribute albums rarely come as perfect—or as heady—as Tradi-Mods vs Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics, which floats in the sweet zone between adventurous and accessible. The accessible is provided by the warm, electrified thumb pianos played by Konono No. 1 and others in Crammed Disc’s Congotronics series, which keep nearly all of the 26 pieces tethered with magical, earthly grooves. Everybody else provides the adventure, literalizing the music’s globalization through transformations into splattering club beats (The Boredoms’ Eye, British dance-haller Bass Cleff ), maybe-too-clever orchestral miniatures ( Andrew Bird, Jherek Bischoff ), breathtaking percussion arrangements (Wilco’s Glenn Kotche), masterful avant-pop ( Deerhoof, Animal Collective, Skeletons ), and even hushed beauty ( Juana Molina ). There’s a little fat, sure, but that can be danced away.