Dieudonne, Bizimungu
Inzovu Y'imirindi
Their combo of 80s studio wizardry rooted in traditional Rwandan praise songs resulted in hypnotic, extended jams unlike
anything else released in East Africa at the time. The lyrics praised the beauty of the countryside and the exploits of
the ancient gods. On plaintive acoustic tracks squeezed between the electric bangers, Bizimungu and Agnes called for
unity in the divided nation.
Their message was an eerie presaging of the coming Rwandan Genocide. Bizimungu and Agnes, along with bandmates
Bigirimana Augustin and Niyongamije Emmanuel, were murdered by Hutu militias in 1994. Their music was silenced, any
traces almost lost in the ensuing decades.
We first heard this album through music scholar Matthew Lavoie in 2018, and spent years looking for any surviving
members of the band. Last year, co-producer and Voice of America host Jackson Mvunganyi tracked down Bizimungu and
Agnes' daughter, Noella, in Kigali. Only 9 years old at the time of her parents' death, she had taken on the task of
reintroducing their work to a new generation in Rwanda through TV appearances. Though her family lost almost everything
in the genocide, Noella tracked down photos and even a CD containing the master recordings of Inzovu Y'imirindi from one
of the band's early producers.
It is stunning to finally hear this music in its fullness and immediacy, beautifully remastered at Osiris Studio. We're
grateful to Noella and our collaborators for helping us share Bizimungu and Agnes' vital music and message with the
world.
Price
Genre
Format
LP - 1 disk
Release
14-11-2025
Label
Item-nr
1317710
EAN
0850024931893
Availability
Not in stock
Tracks
Title
Artist
1
INZOVU Y'IMIRINDI
2
IMBABAZI TWESE
3
TABARA RYANGOMBE
4
INYANGE IBARUSHA KWERA
5
URUJEJE RW'IMISOZI 1000 N1
6
IBANGO RY'IBANGA