Kokoroko Get The Message

Kokoroko, the London-based contemporary jazz collective, has released their new single ‘Three Piece Suit’ featuring Azekel.

Warm, rich and sumptuous in sound, ‘Three Piece Suit’ is a heartwarming tribute to the Nigerian immigrant experience. An initial draft of the track first began life at Kokoroko’s studio under the working title ‘Get The Message’.

Crackling through the track’s snug and patiently-arranged grooves are subtle touches of funk, adding new dimensions to the band's signature afrobeat and jazz sound in a way that recalls the work of Cymande. Further caressing the instrumentation is the incorporation of the Brazilian nose flute and woozy-sounding synth lines, effortlessly transporting the listeners back in time.

A conversation between Onome Edgeworth, the band’s percussionist and Azekel about their grandfathers who both landed in Balham from Nigeria in the 1960s would yield finishing touches that its rough sketches needed, bringing the song home to its final form.

Speaking on the track’s conception, Onome said: "We wrote the song thinking of our grandfathers arriving in London and the way they carried themselves and dressed in the 1960s. They were part of a dapper and suited generation that sowed the seeds for the worlds we’re building now. It speaks to our sentimental memories of a time that we know we can't have back”.