The project, called DRC Music, is led by Albarn, with producers including Dan the Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Richard Russell, Actress, Marc Antoine, T-E-E-D and local Congolese musicians. The team aims to create an album in just seven days, the proceeds of which will go towards supporting Oxfam's work in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo).
The DRC is home to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises due to deep poverty and poor living conditions, according to Oxfam. The World Bank claims the nation is still fragile after a series of internal conflicts during the nineties with 2.3 million displaced persons. The DRC is one of the poorest performers in The World Bank's business index.
DRC Music has taken a social spin on the project, starting up a Facebook page, Twitter account, and tumblr where it posts clips, updates and photos from the studio.
While Albarn is best known for his quirky, devil-may care music, he is a long-time supporter of philanthropic causes. Albarn visited Mali with Oxfam in 2001 to produce a similar project and later traveled to Nigeria to record.
It's great that Albarn and the team aren't just air-lifting in to record but are seeking out Congolese musicians to participate. DRC Music is raising money for a cause while shining a light on Congolese culture and musical traditions.
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