Kotoa are a 5 piece band from Loughborough Junction, South East London, made up of drummer Laurie Campling, bassist Frank Black, keyboard player Sam Hillier, guitarist and vocalist Memphis Koloi & saxophonist and vocalist Maia Avery.

Having recently signed to Wah Wah 45s, Kotoa bring a refreshing sound, blending political rhetoric, soulful melodies & heavy bass lines. Deeply influenced by dub, triphop & the recent rise of African inspired jazz, Kotoa are a rising force in Brixton’s historic music scene.

Following on from the success of their first two singles, Higher Being and I Am, and their cover version of Fela Kuti’s Zombie, which received support from Gilles Peterson on BBC Radio 6 Music and Worldwide FM, this exciting young outfit present their full debut EP, entitled Earthwise. Produced by revered musician and engineer Benedic Lamdin (Nostalgia 77) it’s an uplifting yet provocative EP that seamlessly shifts between Afrobeat, dub, jazz and deep soul.

The EP kicks off with the trancey, Afro flavoured debut single from the band, Higher Being. Maia Avery’s vocals offer something of an invitation to the audience to let loose, to unlock their inner conscienceness, and allow themselves to flow freely through the music, as the vocalist herself explains:

“Higher Being is inspired by songs that have really connected us to the deeper meaning of music, thus being the one form of communication that every human can enjoy and share together despite differing backgrounds. It’s a song that aims to unite people in a mutual love for the groove. The simple chant alsogives everyone access to join in and feel included with the music. Ultimately this song is about being human, finding yourself shifting as the pendulum swings and the empowering journey of learning to be
comfortable with who you are through the people and the world around you.”

The second track, Thieves & Scammers, sees guitarist and vocalist Memphis Koloi take centre stage on one of the more socially thought provoking and uncompromising songs on the EP. Here’s Maia again: “Reggae has been a huge influence on our sound. This track was deeply inspired by the sounds of 70’s roots reggae artists like Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown & Burning Spear. During the writing process, we aimed to both pay ode to our influences whilst also creating a sound authentic to us. The lyrics are a reflection on the unnecessary suffering so many people are forced to endure in the face of oppression.”

Charge It is very much an Afrobeat protest song, inspired by the political force that was Fela Kuti, with lyrics that encapsulate the frustration of feeling powerless under political, social and economic tyranny. At the same time, it’s also a joyous dance track which invites people to sing, dance and use the song in a motivational way to stand up for peoples’ freedoms.

A simply stunning piece of song-writing, I Am is a tropically flavoured slice of soul-jazz music that is about being human, finding yourself shifting as the pendulum swings and the empowering journey of learning to be comfortable with who you are through the people and the world around you.

Finally, Earthwise, the title track of the EP, is one that started from a jam at one of the band’s first rehearsals. Maia explains more: “We found this tune and it really birthed our sound as a band. The simple lyrics, 'I want to be earthwise', can be broadly interpreted but they ultimately convey the need to be grounded and open minded to the world around us. This tune really allows us to connect with our audience as we come together to sing the simple phrase. The punchy horn line again gives a motivational feel to the
tune too.”