KOKOKO!

13th September 2024 // Peiraios 260

Pioneers of Kinshasa’s sonic revolution, KOKOKO! have captivated global audiences with their striking sonics and energetic performances since 2017. Their accolades include best live band award by AIF, NPR Tiny Desk and Boiler Room slots, appearances at festivals including All Points East, SXSW, Green Man and Pitchfork Festival, and a placement on the Grand Theft Auto and FIFA soundtracks. Their critically acclaimed debut album Fongola achieved global praise, with DJ Mag labelling it “quite unlike anything else you’ll hear”, while The Guardian called the group a “commanding new voice”.

In Kinshasa the spirit of performance is multidisciplinary and collaborative, the performance artists, musicians and dancers often perform together, expressing similar sentiments and sharing the same rebellious spirit.

The wider KOKOKO! collective includes performance artists who head to busy crossroads in search of an audience in the bustling city, their gestures expressing the harsh realities of current events in the country. Their work allows them to speak out, without words, in order to express the frustrations of today and the events of the past that have driven what should be one of the richest country in the world into chaos, which richer foreign countries feed off of and exploit.

It does not escape the notice of the Congolese people that the very resources which have fuelled much of the most prosperous countries industrial and technological progress, from slaves, rubber and diamonds to the coltan powering our smartphones and Kobalt for new electric batteries, are the root cause of their own country’s suffering.

Links:
Website –www.kokokomusic.com/
Facebook –www.facebook.com/KOKOKOmusic
Instagram –www.instagram.com/kokokomusic