Kokoroko — Could We Be More — Album Review
Jazz | Soul
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
If you read my previous review for the newest album from Kal Marks, you would know that it was one of those albums that I had discovered as a result of going out of my way to search for new music (and as always, Album of the Year delivers); the album I’ll be reviewing today is yet another project I had discovered this way.
That being said, Kokoroko was a band that I did recognise somewhat by name. However, I had never listened to their music until now. But given my relatively newfound love for jazz music, and a desire to discover at least one album a year that gives me the same kind of feeling that I had when first falling in love with the genre, this project felt like just the thing I was looking for judging by the first skim-over of the teaser tracks.
But either way, this will be my review for Could We Be More, the debut studio album from London-based jazz collective Kokoroko.
Much like how I did with the aforementioned Kal Marks album, I went into the teaser tracks that had been released prior, to give myself a sense of what the full album could potentially sound like. And judging from those three tunes, “Age Of Ascent”, “We Give Thanks”, and “Something’s Going On” respectively, I certainly liked what I heard. All three of those tracks gave off a different kind of energy, all of which share that feel-good aura that the best jazz projects have blessed listeners with before. With that being said, I was very excited to see what the rest of the album had to offer.
The one thing I picked up on fro this album straight away (which is arguably its best quality) was that it could not have sounded like a more apt album for the summer if it tried. I know that I’ve already mentioned the feel-good energy brought by the three teasers, but this album is completely rife with that very energy, which deserves high praise.
With a runtime of just under fifty minute overall, Could We Be More stands as an album that you could bash out on a work commute or a chill-out session on the beach pretty easily. However, it still feels like a full and rich musical experience that sustains the soul and more, making it feel like an album that doesn’t end too soon. It’s a hard balance to strike when creating an album, but Kokoroko have seeming done so with minimum effort.
It’s also fair to say that Kokoroko really do pull out all the stops when it comes to creating layered tunes. I feel like it is part of the reason why each tracks sounds so vibrant, and works well to stand out from one another. It undoubtedly sounds like very worldly music that Kokoroko are creating; so if that’s your thing (it definitely is with me), then I couldn’t recommend this album more.
My only minor gripe, may just be coming from someone who feels as if they are pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to jazz music (and is moreso a jazztronica fan), but could We Be More feels a little “typical” (for lack of a better word) in its stylistic form. In other words, it sounds like what you would expect a jazz album to sound like, for the most part. Aside from that, it was only the sheer number of interludes that I felt didn’t add too much to the album.
Nonetheless, Could We Be More is no project to scoff at, not even by veteran jazz-heads. It is clear to see that Kokoroko have successfully honed a style of the music form that feels both familiar and progressive. And above all else, it’s a cracking debut.
Favourite Tracks: Age Of Ascent | Dide O | Something’s Going On
Least Favourite Track: Home
Brownswood Recordings
