Cocofunka: Masters of the Groove

          The musical talent emerging out of Costa Rica deserves international recognition equal to its caliber.  From gypsy-folk band Passiflora led by Mariana Echevaria, indie pop band Los Waldners, garage rock trio Las Robertas, and instrumental rock band Niño Koi, to big-name singer songwriter Debi-Nova, there's an abundance of modern talent gaining traction domestically that is ready to make its breakthrough on the international stage.  

 

        
          One group that has come to my attention recently is the psychedelic funk, blues, reggae, and rock inspired fusion band Cocofunka.  The band consists of singer Javier Arce, keyboardist Gustavo Gutierrez, guitarist Nacho Páez, bassist Reynaldo Escobedo, percussionist Ricardo Machado, and drummer Jaime Nowalski.

          Formed in 2008, they've become a household name in San Jose and performed extensively throughout Central-America.  They released their first recording as a self-entitled EP in 2009 which sold out all production copies and garnered a significant following during their debut release tour.

          In 2013, they performed in New York at the C.B.G.B. Music Festival, "the undisputed birthplace of punk."    Since then they've released several singles and three complete albums, the last album released in 2016.  Thanks to its significant influence in recent years, they have earned their own webpage at Sicultura (Sistema de Information Cultural Costa Rica), a website dedicated to the public awareness of Costan Rican culture. 

Siculture describes the band as:

"...mucho mas que música...es sentimientos, vibras, momentos y tiempo transformado en música que intenta compartir un poco del sentimiento con la gente de las cosas que los inspiran ..."

          After listening to their complete discography, I have grown fond of the group's high energy and their variety of rhythmic styles.  Many of the songs had me jamming out, but here are just a couple of my favorites:

          Off of their debut EP Cocofunka, I highly enjoyed listening to the second track, "Déjame Fluir."  The tune starts with a free-flowing, spacey vamp featuring the guitar and keyboard with the main message of the song delivered as a spoken voice-over before transitioning into the verse.  Throughout the verse, the spunky, punk-rock styled vocals soar over the band as the energy level gradually increases until arriving at the chorus, when the beat evolves to incorporate a catchy drum groove with accents on the upbeats backed by a solid bass figure that propels the tune forward.  Another spoken voice-over followed by a flute solo over a walking bass line in the middle of the song breaks up the tune's profile nicely and keep's the listener's ears guessing.  The chorus returns, this time sprinkled with flute interjections, to bring the tune to a definitive close.

         My favorite Cocofunka album is their second full album release from 2012, Hacer Ecoo.  I believe every every tune offers a unique musical experience and could stand alone as a single. 

          "Mundo," the first track on the album, begins with exposed bass drum hits which act as the motor for much of the song.  A bumpin' bass line, sultry synths, and vivacious vocals layered one-by-one on top of the bass drum set up the building mood.  The vocals are rhythmically straightforward and fun to sing along with.  But if you thought the verse was catchy, hold on to your dancing shoes!  The end of the verse is punctuated with a prominent descending guitar melody that plunges into a driving, double-time groove featuring Latin cowbell rhythms, a variety of jabbing synths, and funk guitar.  The only lyric during the chorus is the word "mundo!" shouted emphatically every fourth beat, emphasizing the satisfying end of each musical sub-phrase.  After another similar verse and chorus, the tune relaxes into a softer, pensive, free flowing section before building up in energy again and catapulting itself into an all-out, fiery rap followed by an exclamatory guitar solo to end the song.

         
          I can understand why this band has gained a strong following in such a short time.  Their cohesive energy combined with their infectious grooves make you want to get up and dance.  I would especially give Hacer Ecoo a listen as I believe it is the musical masterpiece of this group so far!