Christelle Bofale - Swim Team (CD)

Austin, TX-based songwriter Christelle Bofale will be the first to tell you the importance of family roots and mental health. Being the first American born in her family, the rich heritage of the Congo is deeply rooted in her upbringing and relationship with sounds. From singing and dancing with her mother as a child, to praying to Congolese music with her grandmother, to her father, a soukous guitar player and musical director for the Congregation at his church, Bofale's musical journey has been defined in tiny intervals throughout her life. She infuses hints of the Congo into various aspects of her music, bridging the musical influences of the diaspora with juxtaposed elements of indie rock, soul and jazz. Weightless guitar tangents and lush, aquatic soundscapes embody her Swim Team debut. Somewhere between influences like Joni Mitchell and Alex G, Bofale has found a sweet spot for her sound that lives between both harsh and gentle terrain, achieving a relaxing, yet rugged tonality.