Koko Von Napoo : 'June'
.jpg)
Released: Out Now!!!
Label: Trouble Records
Koko Von Napoo are a Parisian quartet who sing in English and have a song about a small German town. All a bit much, isn’t it? Such is our national pride and maybe even our adoration of all things American that for a French band to succeed upon our Island they have to be apart from the normal and perhaps its reasons similar that saw the four-strong French outfit opt for a name that allegedly comes from some Manchester gang of years gone by. Whatever the story behind it, the band release their EP ‘June’ courtesy of Trouble Records.
The first of four songs is the title track and at just over two-and-a-half minutes in length acts as a miniature representation of the band and their direction, one that is distinctly electro-pop delivered at a rate of knots that would see them cross from Calais to Dover before you could utter ‘bienvenue’. This song is pretty infectious stuff, really enjoyable stripped-down electro that makes a decent stab at creating a hybrid between much-maligned Europop and the more commercial side of electro currently enjoying a mini-renaissance, and why not? When done well this brand of music is as good as any at bridging divides and picking up fans from all areas of the room and there’s every evidence here that Koko Von Napoo can do just that – this is party music, the sort nobody is likely to switch off.
Following the brilliant ‘June’ is ‘Rocky’, a song that builds on its companion’s influences and ideas to create something more imaginative in terms of structural creation, one that spends three minutes carefully placing building blocks for a fantastic ending. It’s a risk from a band who might be best advised to keep to the short stuff that worked so well earlier on this record, but it pays off in this instance, working to show the talent this band have and also fulfilling the requirement of any EP – it has to be a concise, accurate and compelling appetiser of what a band could offer on a full-length record and when Koko release their album songs like this will be every bit as important as ‘June’ in holding the thing together.
'Baden-Baden' is by most accounts a rather plain German town but that doesn’t stop Koko Von Napoo making it the subject of the third track on this EP and again it’s original enough to remain interesting without removing the identity being created as this EP plays out. There are some really fluent synth sounds here, each complimenting the other to give a space-age back ground, taken over by a drum that would sit well on any indie record. Again the vocals won’t win any prizes for delivery quality but it’s a ten for style – the voice sits on top of the synth lines and doesn’t try to do more than is necessary, allowing for the musical express to wheel forward. This songs strength though is in the breakdown – it’s one of the best 3-note synth lines I’ve heard outside of a Passion Pit record and that more than makes up for the slightly bland chorus that would otherwise let this song down.
Bringing up the rear on this EP is ‘Polly’, a song that definitely has the best intro of the four. The synth is shifted down a couple of octaves to give a real groove to the opening verse with the vocal amended suitably to be more relaxed and precise, at the same time bringing some clear 1980’s influences into view during the most pop song on ‘June’. It’s a great way to finish, it sounds the most comfortable and assured song and underscores all the good work done previously to round off a very well made EP. Koko Von Napoo clearly know what it takes not just to make music but to make a record and those qualities shine on a superb EP well worth adding to the collection. Air watch out, your tag as the best of France might become a little loose a little soon.
8/10
Words : Benjamin Coley
Write a comment
- Required fields are marked with *.
-->