Penya; 2009
Just A Band’s announcement that they’ll be going on a break this year is a perfect opportunity to take a step back and re-appreciate the material they’ve put out so far. The one song that defines their unrestricted and innovative creative process is definitely Usinibore off their 2009 sophomore album 82. While Ha-he resonated with the local masses by reviving the Makmende superhero persona, Usinibore was arguably the track that lured in the rest of the world onto the dance floor for the JAB mugithi train.
Part of the reason why Usinibore was so magnetizing at the time, apart from the self-affirming lyrics laced with a low tolerance for nonsense, was the band’s sampling choices. First off, the track samples Daft Punk’s Revolution 909 off their 1997 album Homework. The music video to Revolution 909 which reflected on the French government’s clampdown on rave parties, must have also inspired the Usinibore music video.
Usinibore also samples a Boys Noize remix of Chilly Gonzales’ 2008 single Working Together which takes a satirical swipe at the inescapable elements of control and corruption involved in corporate life. Die-hard fans of FIFA will immediately recognize this remix which made it into the FIFA 09 soundtrack.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This is some genius sampling by Just A Band. Not only did it incorporate elements of popular house music of the time, the sampling choices also possessed the DNA of defiance that helped enhance Usinibore‘s central message of taking back control of our narratives and our destiny. Pretty cool, huh?