In Congolese tradition, the fara fara — “face-to-face” in Lingala — is a musical competition in which two musicians perform simultaneously on different stages, playing for as long as they possibly can. This sounds intense, if we’re honest. Sort of like your traditional soundclash meets the dance competition in Midsommar via Kinshasa. Cõvco and Lafawndah adopted this tradition as the name for their new b2b DJ project. “It’s everything we swear by as artists, which is pushing past limits and the greater quest as a unity,” they say. “We were both birthed from a bloodline which heavily practises similar sonic rituals.”
United by the shared desire to return dance to its natural state of freedom, FARA FARA raises a middle finger to the rules when it comes to genre, tempo and club music norms; while volatile, both their selection and delivery are firmly under control.
Hearing of their plans to take FARA FARA to another level in 2020 — with original productions as well as ambitions to collaborate in a curatorial entity — we asked the duo to make us a mix. Here for a good time, yes, but also a disruptive time, Cõvco and Lafawndah have crafted us a weird, sexy, well-thought-out sonic adventure. There are endless samples, that unreleased Kim Petras x Azealia Banks collaboration, and dance-inducing footwork that eventually descends into a period of bass-heavy darkness before the duo leads us into battle — with clashes of metal and everything. It’s a real showcase of the brilliantly mixed up array of influences behind both their individual projects.
Asked to describe the mix, they tell us: “Chaos is my true lover, not once have you forsaken me.” Exactly.
Like what you hear? Catch FARA FARA at The Glove that Fits on 6 March.