Kokoroko
Could We Be More
Brownswood
Buy via Official Store | Listen Below
It’s taken eight years for the debut album by London-based band Kokoroko to come to fruition. Could We Be More comes after a steady stream of EPs and singles released since their formation in 2014, but it was their appearance on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood compilation We Out Here in 2018 that set their star onto an accelerated upward trajectory. “Abusey Junction” introduced audiences to their winning combination of jazz and Afrobeat and racked up millions of views on YouTube—it currently stands at over 50 million.
Founded by Sheila Maurice-Grey and Onome Edgeworth after a shared love of London Afrobeat and Highlife groups was discovered, the eight-piece group formed to become a mouthpiece for portions of the diaspora they felt were unheard or neglected. Taking the Urhobo word for “be strong” as their name, the female-led group embody that strength via a generally positive outlook on life, which is reflected in the irrepressible joy that flows through the album.
The threads that run through the album are, as before, jazz, Highlife and Afrobeat, but there are even light touches of G-funk, with Parliament-Funkadelic keys at times (such as on opener, “Tojo”) to highlight the scope of their influence and ambition. What stands out in taking these disparate threads is the way they sit so comfortably together. Of course, they are roots of the same tree, but they intertwine beautifully throughout—the warp and weft of a silken robe. Delicate but strong.
There are times when the horns are the focal point of the song such as “Ewa Inu” and the steadily climaxing “Age Of Ascent,” but the nimble guitar lines are also a treat throughout, especially on the undeniable Highlife groove of “We Give Thanks” and the sole moment of anger, the chest-beating glory of “War Dance.” But to counterbalance the 21st Century musical melting pot, there is the odd pointed reminder of the origins of all the music on offer.
On “Blue Robe (pt. i and ii)” everything is stripped away bar the percussion to remind the listener that the basis of all the genres effortlessly blended together here are the polyrhythms of West Africa. The talking drum also provides that link at times, meaning as boldly as the group forge a glorious concoction for the here and now, they are rooted in the sounds that birthed most of Western popular music.
Everything here is so well balanced and every part of each song is placed to perfection—it is a joyful tonic for the soul. The fact that Could We Be More is so undeniable in its appeal could make you think it was easy to produce. But to ensure the subtleties and delicate touches don’t get lost among the rhythm section’s immaculate work is an achievement that elevates the album further.
Notable Tracks: “Soul Searching” | “Tojo” | “War Dance” | “We Give Thanks”
BUY Could We Be More via Kokoroko’s Official Store
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