The Magic of SONILS
Sonils has throughout managed to fulfill the targets set across by the parent
organisation & our beloved country
Angolan Rhythms
Angolan music was created as far back as the 1940s when the group Ngola
Ritmos
introduced hard-hitting urban music to the country while it was still under
Portuguese
rule. At that time they sang in native languages, used national rhythms and
produced music with messages calling for Angolan nationalism. Music
pre-independence
is now seen to have played a central role in the fight for freedom.
Immediately post-independence music lyrics became very political, mirroring
the
situation in the country. As a result the quality of music suffered and
after a flying
start from the forties to the mid-seventies its evolution stagnated.
But in the late eighties, Angolan music started to re-emerge thanks to new
talent
that was creating infectious rhythms. Still using day-to-day living as
inspiration, new
groups and singers revitalised the music scene and lifted spirits during the
ongoing
civil war.
In the early 1990s a new type of music became the hit in Angola, the Kuduru
- Angolan
hip-hop with its own local rhythms and themes. This type of music is as loud
as heavy-metal and its message is always very strong, whether the lyrics
speak of
love, war, sex, peace or social degradation.
Be it slow and seductive or hard-hitting and controversial, Angolan music
has
moved and grown with the times. The contemporary music scene now bursts with
exciting tunes and beats that leaves no one standing still.
It is impossible to talk about Angolan music without mentioning the nation’s
passion
and talent for dancing. Typical Angolan dance-à-deux styles are the Semba
and
the Kizomba. In the late 90’s the Tarrachinha style of dancing became the
favorite
among the youth.
• Semba is a more formal ballroom dance. It's usually a dance-à-deux but it can also be a chance for soloists to take to the floor.
• Kizomba is a mix of intricate 'passadas' moves danced to the rhythm of lively zouk and semba tunes.
• Tarrachinha is danced very slowly with the pair almost stopped in one spot for the whole music duration. It's undeniably seductive.
To embrace the various dance styles, at parties and nightclubs Angolan DJs play all types of music - from kizomba to rock; from funk to pop to the latest music charts hits.
