Four years ago I heard a record of exquisite island disco dance funk from a trio of live musicians called Kokoro Disco San. I’d heard stuff like it, but not altogether and not all at once, and not from a band that played so tight you could only compare them to painfully unmusical mechanisms like watches and engines and other marvels of precision engineering.

I thought it was great. I hear a lot of musicians that pursue this sounds but few that manage to catch up to it. I asked Will Sumsuch to find out who the hell Kokoro Disco San are; I don’t think he thought I was serious but I was.

The search for Kokoro Disco San leads through Barcelona; Kokoro Disco San are, judging from the liner notes, Lalo López on guitars, bass and keys; Javi López on drum programming; and Miguelito Superstar on drum and synth programming and percussion. They’re joined by an exquisite singer named Brigitte Emaga on their sunny and Roy Ayers-esque “Brightest Light,” marking their return to Rocafort Records. Steeped in the sunshine soul where house, R&B and soul meet, “Brightest Light” is evocative of Brand New Heavies and other acts (usually British) that ventured to those crossroads and left some beautiful music behind.

The presence of a live flautist is always a good omen and “Mistura Mágica” does not let you down. The Afro-Latin tinged instrumental is nearly six minutes long but could have been twenty. The percussion here is especially brilliant, in the way that people describe landscapes and dazzling paintings and photographs of them as “brilliant.”

⚪️ Brightest Light / Mistura Mágica Tracklisting

Kokoro Disco San: Brightest Light / Mistura Mágica (Rocafort Records / 12" Vinyl + Digital)
1. Brightest Light ft. Brigitte Emaga (08:00)
2. Mistura Magica ft. Irene Reig (05:51)

⚪️ Disclosure Statement

This record was submitted as a promo.

 

5 Mag Issue 209
Out September 2023

SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND: This was originally published in 5 Mag Issue #209 featuring Alinka, Laseech, Being, Marco Lenzi, the sordid story of the Goldman Sachs CEO’s DJ career and more. Help keep our vibe alive by becoming a member for $2/month and get every issue in your inbox right away!

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