Kokoroko – Sweetie

Blog Summary

London’s jazz collective Kokoroko is back with “Sweetie,” the lead single from their upcoming album “Tuff Times Never Last” (out July 11 via Brownswood Recordings).

This track is a curious little love letter disguised as a West African disco tribute. Naturally, the horns take center stage, but what’s really eyebrow-raising is how they’ve snuck in some experimental synth noodling and drum patterns that seem to ignore the rulebook deliberately. The result? A sunny, dance-inducing tune that captures that fuzzy head rush of being smitten.

“Sweetie” hints at an evolution for the seven-piece outfit. While they’re still firmly rooted in their afrobeat-meets-jazz foundation, co-bandleader Sheila Maurice-Grey confesses they’re freer these days: “Innately, we’re jazz musicians but we’ve tried not to box ourselves into one sound. There’s a level of freedom we’re starting to feel.” This newfound liberation appears throughout their upcoming 11-track album, which flirts with neo-soul, bossa nova, lover’s rock, and funk.

This release comes three years after their debut “Could We Be More,” which cracked the UK Top 30 and earned praise from publications like The Guardian and CRACK Magazine.