The DIY Approach of KOKOKO!

Join KOKOKO!, the pioneers of Kinshasa's sonic revolution, as they share their process and insights of recording music outside a studio and the intricacies of cross continent collaborations. The Congolese ensemble is led by musicians Xavier Thomas and Makara Bianko.

KOKOKO! (Congo)

KOKOKO! exploded onto the electronic music scene in 2018 and quickly rewrote the usual Western narrative of what electronic music is and, more importantly, what “world music” isn't. The band's colorful approach through wild, uncontrollable sounds and instruments, rapidly tore through any perception, pre-condition, and performance of African bands of the past. KOKOKO! created the DIY instrument spectacle that has since forged a path for other bands to follow. Meanwhile, KOKOKO! have become more electronic and percussive, focusing on the nighttime atmospheres of Kinshasa - filled with energy and pushing everything from the equipment to the sound system to their limits. With amps smoking, wires melting, and the crowd losing it, this is the new KOKOKO! Sound.