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	. Band News July 22, 2008 An Interview With Koko Dozo: Bringing A Little Madness - And Lots Of Teamwork - Into The Mix By Mark Kirby .
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	. Koko Dozo. Amy Douglas, Polarity/1 y Rubio se anuncian como un trío de alíenes ilegales que practican la Funktrónica Global (¡toma ya!). Eso consiste, más o menos, en ser un bailongo del funk independiente neoyorquino capaz de mezclar de todo para hacer bailar a la gente. ¿Influencias? Según ellos, de Black Sabbath a Björk, de Frank Zappa a Goldfrapp, de Stevie Wonder a John Cage, de Joan Manuel Serrat al groove, las voces africanas o el clubbing. En fin, un auténtico sumidero interestelar de sonidos. Canciones como Shine suenan a chica de Ipanema pasada por un filtro Kraftwerk con un toque Brian Eno. Y otras, como Boomchi, entre su ritmo demoledor y su letra desopilante, son con las que te gustaría sorprender a tus amigos en una fiesta. [Rubén A. Arribas] .
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	. Take Your Protein Pills and Put Your Helmet On...Cause Koko Dozo is Out of This World Posted In: futuristic rock, new music. By Sheena Beaston . Warning: overtly cheesy/standard space themed title for a post. . DEAL! Cause I'm about to lay some cochlear pleasures upon you that will rock you to the core. .




	. Koko Dozo want to invade, probe, and prod every ounce of your earthly body with the sound of space that is so defyingly abstract whilst being ultimately palatable. That being said, I immediately fell in love with their sound. . To put it mildly, Koko Dozo are nonhuman. They're of an out of this world proportion that the general masses simply could not fathom amongst themselves. So what does KD do? . They bring the funky party to you! . Amy Douglas, Polarity/1 and Rubio are the talented trio that defines the space age sound. While P/1 provides the backbone of silky laced synth beats and tenacious electromorsels, Rubio maintains the spazzed out keying which mesh so well, launching the tunes into orbit. . And no alienesque incorporation would be complete without the faceshredding vocals of one, Amy D. Ranging in styles from brash baroque to futuristic funk, her golden pipes weave magic into the ears and souls of all who listen. . It's no secret (as I have no shame in mentioning it in almost every post I do) that I will back an act/song/style of music no matter who the artist or what the genre, so long as it gets my booty on the floor. Within a mere :05 seconds of throwing on Face on the Dancefloor, I knew my appreciation for Koko Dozo was firmly cemented. . With a hearty house beat, the track begins quite oddly enough, but stick with it, as it explodes with Douglas' vocals shortly thereafter. "You know you got that face... put your face on the dance floor... . "Don't mind if I do. .Koko Dozo's Illegal Space Aliens (released on subTEKst Records) can be ear-imbibed here. . If you missed Koko Dozo at their latest gig at Crash Mansion, I'm truly sorry for your loss. But good news! KD plays SOB's on a date TBD in the near future. Be sure to check back here for updates as they come in. (and as an early appeteaser...Sheena Beaston herself is brewing together a fiery night of music later in July, so stay tuned for lineups/details/etc...) . .

Future psychediscorama
With Koko Dozo's Illegal Space Aliens
Brothers and a Sister
From Another Planet

...Mark Kirby (Associate Writer)
...2008-05-13

One night several years ago at an Irish pub in the East Village of New York City, the discussion of music turned to disco. It involved musicians and people over 40 years-old, people who might know what they’re talking about. Several of us were, in the heyday of Studio 54 and the disco era, into punk rock. Others of us were -- me especially -- strictly jazz heads. I reminded my friend of lonely nights in college smoking out of a four-foot bong and listening to Zappa and John Coltrane and wondering how to meet girls. They were at the campus disco parties, while we were above it all. And alone, getting in touch with ourselves.

Now a guy walked into the bar - no, this is not a joke, this is true - leans over and asks Nancy, the bartender, to put on a CD he brought. He had a box set called 100 Disco Hits and wanted to hear it. She put it on over a few protests and by the third cut half the bar was up dancing. "This shit is great, what were we thinkin’?" What were we thinking? The cuts that he played -- "Boogie Nights," "Disco Lady," "Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now" -- were all songs with soul power. Killer musicians, great singers, and songwriters that had some skills were at work on these gems. So many of the songs that turned off the young cynic back in the day -- and I was one of them -- now sound like musical versions of the politics of hope. Besides the quality of the music and the infusion of beer and liquor, these cuts stood out because the party music of today consists of desperate, vapid consumer fantasies "sung" over prepackaged, overly mechanized "music." From Justin Timberlake to Mariah Carey, this is what dance music is all about. Like rap agitators Public Enemy asked back in the ‘90's "who stole the soul?"

These memories and thoughts came to mind while listening to Koko Dozo’s new CD Illegal Space Aliens. The band members present themselves as bizarro characters. Chief producer Polarity/1, who created the beats and sounds that make the backbone of the music, dresses like a pro wrestling manager who is channeling Sun Ra. Though using synthesizer sounds, drum machines, and synth bass, his music has a distinctive, organic quality, a certain freshness and vitality. Rubio -- the self-described "multi-brained, Viking, Satanic wizard"; complete with Viking helmet and wizardly robe -- provides funky, jazzy keyboards that flesh out and add spice and musicality to the grooves. Singer Amy Douglas, the "Inter-Galactic Empress," looks like a grown up Punky Brewster turned dominatrix from Brooklyn by way of worlds beyond. But for all the outer spaceness of their image and electronic sounds, the music on Illegal Space Aliens is rooted in the organic soil of the disco, funk and soul of a bygone era.

The CD starts with dense electronic sounds that morph into a groove consisting of bass, a looped piano chord, and a beat made of these dense sounds, on the opening cut "Second Time." Amy Douglas brings flesh and soul to this cyborg of a song. With musical experience covering punk cabaret, funk with George Clinton and down-home jazz with Illinois Jacquet, she has the pipes. She also has the musicality and taste to do it just right. "Face on the Dance Floor" starts with disembodied female voices and a vocal loop of laughs. A house beat kicks in and Douglas busts out with a Donna Summers-like vocal blast: "You know you got that face... put your face on the dance floor / wave your feet in the air / make us believe that you don’t care / smash your face on the dance floor / put your kicks in the air / wave it some more / put your fuckin’ face on the dance floor." The song grooves along with interesting musical riffs and keyboard counter melodies, as Douglas goes off. The backup group female voices come back and the song’s next verse comes in. These little touches elevate this and other songs on the CD above average, boring house and dance music. You can dig this music without drugs or dancing.

Some of the album’s cuts resemble the classic disco of the‘70's and ‘80's. "Boomchi" has that signature four-on-the-floor drum beat, offbeat funk bass lick, and soulful strings. The vocals come in like Chic’s classic "Good Times." Busting out in Spanish, Douglas lets fly some wailing diva vocal blasts. The song’s break down features bass drum, breathy, chanting vocals, and an over-the-top spew in Spanglish by Rubio. Euro disco brought in the dominance of synthesizers and more mechanical rhythms. "Shine" is in this mold, but the piano licks and, once again, Douglas’ voice gives the song a human face: "Shine a light / I need to know that I’m alive / Shine a light / guide me to your secret side / give me breath that can revive."

Koko Dozo mines other types of music, particularly the expansive side of soul and funk, on the slow jam "Down." This features sweet lead and backup vocals, as well as chords that move and glide in an extended middle part that seems to drift away. Then, from silence, the song starts up with vocals that remind one of soul diva’s like Chaka Khan. "D.C. Whore" combines political satire and discordant, complex funk. "Fulano de Tai" is dirge-like, with music that evokes the image of an emotional desert and recalls one of Ennio Morricone’s more psychedelic soundtracks.

One of the strengths of Illegal Space Aliens, and my regular readers please forgive me, is that there are nine choice cuts on this record. No fluff, just a statement. This should be the new trend. This should also be an example of how to make dance music that is intelligent and cool, not dumbed down to the level of morons in too-tight $90 designer jeans.
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CD Review
Koko Dozo - 'Illegal Space Aliens'

They're only just starting out, but we could see Koko Dozo becoming your next local heroes. Read our review here.

Plus reviews of the latest CDs from Hot Chip, Justice, The Teenagers, Bang Gang DJs, Chromeo, Kitsuné, Simian Mobile Disco, Digitalism, Walter Meego, Lindstrom, Ratatat, Tiga, MSTRKRFT, DFA and many more.
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...cd reviews

Koko Dozo: Illegal Space Aliens
released on subTEKst Records
reviewed by Gaspar Oliveira for GBH.tv
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As anybody who lives in a city knows, melting pots are always a mess. There's plenty of bad that comes with cultures and backgrounds being crammed together in a tiny space: people get pissed off at one another, tensions sometimes arise, and that romanticized harmony never quite rounds into form. But when it's time to party, it's pretty easy to get close enough to ignore the problems.

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The New York trio Koko Dozo strives for that party-time closeness, and their debut album Illegal Space Aliens definitely gets close enough. Every New York sound imaginable is crammed into Illegal Space Aliens' nine songs, from the city's camera clicks and metallic clanks to the clubs' salsa, house, r&b, techno, funk, and hip-hop. That might seem like a dangerously long list, but the band's got the musical experience to highlight how closely related they are. The shuffling, clattering percussion on album opener "Second Time" might sound very different from the disco whoomp of "Boomchi," but the evocative keyboard chords in the former and the swirling (fake) strings in the latter show the songs come from the same family. Even elements that see the band wandering further out, like the blown out techno-inspired drums on "Kokodozonomics" or the restless piano improvisations on "Fulano de Tal," feel more and more at home once you get to know them.
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And if you need any additional incentive to keep coming back to Illegal Space Aliens, look no further than the vocals. Lead singer Amy Douglas doesn't always have the perfect lyrics to sing (probably the most iffy aspect of this record), but she's got a voice that can do anything. She's got four octaves at her disposal, and she uses them to sass ("Face on the Dancefloor"), emote ("Down") and just plain belt; her emotional coloring's right in step with the music backing her, even when the music's a little silly.Koko Dozo's music is a little involved by clubland standards, and as such it's understandable that they only play the occasional gig. But New Yorkers looking for music that embraces their city's cultural diversity ought to check them out. The best way to survive in a melting pot is to get close.
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LIQUID LUNCH

Hosted by Hugh Reilly
and D'Anise

on-air interview April 16 2008

LISTEN

Rated X, March 15 '08
mar 16, 08
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Thank God for Theo, Michael T, Jess, Alex, etc. etc. And Mr. Photog. You deserve all the accolades you will soon get, we are sure of it. Congrats to our dear friend Kendra (fake glasses) for her recent promotion. Again, we didn't stay for the "Hot Body" contest as we had to work on this fine Sunday, but other than that, we thought it turned out to be a pretty smash-up night. P.S., remember the name Koko Dozo..

...FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2008
...Koko Dozo Catches Fire Underground
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		As part of our public service mission, we like to keep you informed on the hottest acts that entertain the elite masses. So who is tearing up the underground scene right now? Apparently it's Koko Dozo - who promoted their fledgling act by telling us:
			Our debut self-release "Illegal Space Aliens" dropped last Saturday and our release party at Nacotheque, the insanely crazy Latino-Electro party which is making waves in NYC and all over the world, was out of control, a room packed with sweaty hot dancing bodies... Since then, on the merit of that buzz alone, we've booked two of the biggest underground parties in NYC, Rated X- The Panty Party at Don Hills and Roxy Cottontails's Heartbeat at Le Royale

....underground parties in NYC, Rated X- The Panty Party at Don Hills and Roxy ....Cottontails's Heartbeat at Le Royale

That certainly sounds hot. And unique. Just look at that picture, you know they got something going on that's just got to be authentic. You go Koko Dozo. Go!

POSTED BY DOWN BY THE HIPSTER AT 11:42 AM

LABELS: KOKO DOZO, MUSIC, NEW YORK CITY NIGHTLIFE, PARTY
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Future psychediscorama With Koko Dozo's Illegal Space Aliens Brothers and a Sister From Another Planet

Future psychediscorama
With Koko Dozo's Illegal Space Aliens
Brothers and a Sister
From Another Planet