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Music from out of this world? Meet Koko Dozo
Written by MeanLittleBumbleBee.com
Thursday, 04 March 2010
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If you're like me, you've probably found yourself staring up at the sky and wondering if life really exists on other planets. Are we really alone? Is there life on other planets? The answer is: yes and the soundtrack is a trippy mix of galactic fusion electronica. Leading the way is Koko Dozo, an exciting duo making music for earthlings they like to call "post-disco." I caught up with Koko Dozo (a/k/a Amy Douglas and Polarity/1) from an undisclosed location as they are currently on the lam from their home planet of Bazbador.
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If you're like me, you've probably found yourself staring up at the sky and wondering if life really exists on other planets. Are we really alone? Is there life on other planets? The answer is: yes and the soundtrack is a trippy mix of galactic fusion electronica. Leading the way is Koko Dozo, an exciting duo making music for earthlings they like to call "post-disco." I caught up with Koko Dozo (a/k/a Amy Douglas and Polarity/1) from an undisclosed location as they are currently on the lam from their home planet of Bazbador.

MeanLittleBumbleBee: So how did you two meet, how long ago was that, and how was your sound born?
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Amy: Polarity/1 and I met in the BEASTLY hot summer of 2007, when the former third member of the tribe hooked us up. The sound was born out of a shared deep love for music. When P/1 puts his signature electronic production style over the songs which we purposely make hybrids of all these genres we love, you get Koko Dozo. It’s New York City Fusion Electronica but we call it “Post Disco.”
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Polarity/1: We met through our friend, Rubio. We recorded our first album, ILLEGAL SPACE ALIENS, with him. Then he moved to Bogota and we became a duo.
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Our sound is the G spot where our influences and styles intersect. Both of us are music FREAKS. We came up listening to every imaginable kind of music. Amy is more pop-oriented and my Polarity/1 stuff is also groove-based but more left field. The combination is ideal cause she brings out the more pop and and danceclub side of my stuff and I pull her outside the genre zone.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: Can you talk to me a little about the process of making and writing the music?
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Amy: Our process is quite unique, and interestingly enough where Koko Dozo is concerned. Sometimes the sparks come from tracks P/1 has been working on, sometimes it’s pieces of music I’ve been groovin on on piano. One of the things that makes the KD writing process so unique is that Polar is a very digital mind and I’m very analog; I tend to write songs just from sitting down at the piano, and letting it flow. P/1 uses his studio as an instrument, so he writes songs where the macro part of the picture has emerged and then we kinda fill in the micro part together. We write as individuals in such different ways that when we write together, there is really no rhyme or reason to our process. Sometimes ideas come from something we heard on TV, and we want to expand that idea into a song, sometimes it’s a chord progression that I’ve been drilling for a while. Sometimes we just get a spontaneous idea and it goes from there.
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Polarity/1: We write all our stuff. I might bring in a sketch of a track with or without lyrics -- usually they're either partially written or not at all. Then we work it together. Either of us might come up with the melody/harmony/structure or we do it together. Sometimes Amy brings in a melody with changes and we work on the words together. The words might come in with an angle or we have to come up the angle. Then we argue. Then we agree.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: I've been jamming to "Lay That Body Down" nonstop for days now. I can already tell you this is going to be my summer jam. This is a great tease/taste of the upcoming EP "Feel The Zuzz..." (out 03/23/10 on Red Star Records). Tell me more about the sound of the EP? How has the sound evolved since Illegal Space Aliens?
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Amy: I think that on Illegal Space Aliens, we were still getting to know each other as musicians and writers and we were very much in love with the fact that we could quite literally....do it all, which is why the breadth and span of that album is so wide. “Feel The Zuzz” is P/1 and I, really focusing in on a feeling and a vibe, and therefore it’s a very COMPLETE musical statement, and man, it’s soooo great and fantastic when you say that Lay That Body Down is gonna be your summer jam, because “Feel The Zuzz” overall is geared EXACTLY for that, it’s sizzling hot weather music, be you in NYC during August, Lagos, São Paolo, or Miami. It’s the EP we wanted everyone to put on to get SWEATY to, and to have a very escapist sort of experience with it. It’s definitely HOT WEATHER MUSIC. I’m thrilled that the song is already taking you on a vacation, even if it’s only a 4 minute one!
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Polarity/1: Wow -- you're asking about all the interesting stuff! I think you should do all our interviews. The sound is where we individually do what we do. One of the things I have most fun with is imagining a different character that Amy will play. And I'm sure she does that too. That influences what I contribute to the words and sound of the track. And she's astounding at becoming those characters. I feel that that's the point of writing songs. If every song is sung by the same character -- then you're writing the same song over and over.
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Our ultra-modern space age sound comes from our collective pile of musical obsessions. My body is the first thing I pick up on in music. So I have a bias to groove. Each groove has its own recipe. Combinations of funk, hip hop, reggaeton, samba, soukous, mambo or comparsa. We have a lot of the same influences and there are lots of em. I grew up listening to Led Zep, Zappa, Beatles, '50s Elvis, Lieber & Stoller, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Mingus, Coltrane, Sun Ra, Django Reinhardt, Sam Cooke, James Brown, P Funk, gospel era Staples Singers, Muddy Waters, Doc Boggs, George Jones, Hank Williams, Dylan, Willie Colon, samba, Jobim, Olatunji, Oumou Sangere, Bulgarian Womens Choir, classical Japanese, Stockhausen. And the all the styles we're into find their way into the brew. The tracks are built with a lot of little pieces of noise and sometimes standard drum kit sounds, synths; and sometimes I play guitar and live percussion. I like taking little snippits of things that Amy does in out takes and make them part of the track. I hate the feel of quantized tracks so there are always have elements to keep things fresh and funky.
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Each song on the new EP -- FEEL THE ZUZZ! has its own world. SPACEMAN is about the stress of being an alien. It's an electro, sci-fi, dance track with a vamp that has some Puerto Rican carnival groove thrown in. LAY THAT BODY DOWN is a recruitment jingle to create a teabagger-like conclave to get together and fuck. It's kind of a reggaeton groove with a bit of samba sprinkled in. GANGSTA is about posing. It's got a retro disco vibe and very electro. GRAB YA is a funky dance track with lotsa samba. BASTARDS IN BAZBADOR is very funky. It's us griping about how we get so much love here on Earth while we're doink back on our home planet -- BAZBADOR which, by the way, is located in the Velfin Spoidioyz galaxy. You have to read SPACE ALIEN NATION.
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On FEEL THE ZUZZ! we decided to focus down our direction to danceable groove. So this album rocks much harder and we found a more unified sound -- even though each song is very different.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: Tell me about the experience in the studio (and otherwise) during the recording/making of the EP.
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Amy: Some of the songs on “Feel The Zuzz” were started in NYC ironically right at the end of having finished Illegal Space Aliens, getting our footing and really being in the zone. We were writing SO much music at that time, and so some of the music comes right from the original source, P/1’s studio in downtown NYC. However, this is the first time that we also did a lot of work intra-studio because I recently moved from downtown NYC to Somerville, MA and opened up my own studio, so while the majority of Feel The Zuzz was done traditionally, with us in Polar’s studio writing and recording, some of it was done back and forth between our studios. The experience as always...was intergalactic.
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Polarity/1: Up till Amy moved to Boston last spring we did all the recording at my studio. I work on the tracks and when they're developed to a certain point Amy tracks the vocals. Since she moved I send her the track and she does the vocals at her place and ships them over to me. When Rubio was with us he put on some keyboard parts and helped with the engineering and mixing. On FEEL THE ZUZZ! he plays the outer space dinner music therimen on SPACEMAN and bass on GANGSTA and helped with the engineering on those two. Amy played the piano part on GANGSTA. After Amy sends me her vocal parts I fuss with track some more and then send her a working mix and she makes suggestions. I make suggestions to her about the vocals and vocal arrangements but that's her domain so she gets the last word. And I get the last word on the tracks. Then the tracks get tweaked to death for a couple of weeks before it goes to mastering. The whole thing is done with just the two of us in home studios. The only expense is the mastering.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: Will you be touring?
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Amy: DAMN I SURE HOPE SO!!! This is our first release for a new label – Red Star- and I think it’s going to get a whole new Koko Dozo audience. We’re still very much new artists, and we need all the support that new artists need. We’re still hoping to catch booking agents who will exploit us for all we’re worth and we’re hoping that DJ’s will take these funky tracks, remix them and keep this party going. We have a really high energy live show, and we’d love to take the show on the road, so whoever is reading this...if you want the funkiest alien duo to rock your party, HOLLER AT US AT OUR SITE!!! We’d love to come to Chicago.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: How's life on the lam on planet earth treating you so far?
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Amy: Life on the lam here on Earth, has been a mixed blessing of rewarding and confusing. There are still things we just can’t seem to grasp, like condiments in tiny envelopes and this thing called Tic Tacs is most perplexing. Escalators are a doozy! The Earthlings however treat us wonderfully, they’ve been far kinder and fairer than the overlords back on Bazbador.
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Polarity/1: Earth is a unique and puzzling place. You earthforms are zesty about fucking things up. That aside, I like chocolate a lot. And baseball. And earthform sexual apparatus.
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MeanLittleBumbleBee: And finally, as beings from another planet, what are your thoughts on the world ending in 2012? Will you find another planet to hide out in or do you think you'll go back and face the music?
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Amy: Well you know that old expression “you can’t go home again?” We can’t go home again, but I do not believe the world will end in 2012. If anything we have neat devices in our spaceship that should it look like eminent danger is upon us, we can encapsulate the entire planet in a sort of gelatinous goo which will make us impervious to bullets, warheads and natural disasters, merely by getting in our funky spaceship and circumnavigating the Earth’s surface over and over again. So the plan would be to suspend the planet should anything gnarly go down, kinda like hitting the pause button.
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Polarity/1: Who's world?
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Koko Dozo's EP "Feel The Zuzz..." will be released March 23, 2010 on Red Star Records.
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For more information on Koko Dozo visit: http://www.kokodozo.com/
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Breakdown with THE KIKI TWINS : Interview With KOKO DOZO

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THE KIKI TWINS sat down with cosmic space-duo Koko Dozo to try and better understand their ways of life through their sound.

Name: Koko Dozo- Amy Douglas and Polarity/1

What do you do?

We make noise.

Where you are based: NYC

1. What is the most FIERTH thing about you?

P/1- We come from the planet Bazbador.

Amy D.- Our amazing music, which is funky, hot, sizzlin’ and soulful.

2. Describe what type of art you create.

Amy D.- It’s New York City life, as music.

P/1- We call it Global Funktronica and Post-Disco. We write the songs together; Amy sings them and I produce the tracks. It’s music for dancing.

3. What’s going on right now for you?

P/1- Our second album, an EP titled FEEL THE ZUZZ!, drops March 23 on Redstar Records. It’s a download-only release.

Amy D.- We are playing at Tufts University on April 2nd, and from there, we’re just gonna ride the wave.

4. Who’s on your radar? Who should we be keeping an eye on?

P/1- Buraka Som Sistema is a killer electro/hip hop group from Lisbon. They’re one of the few electro/dance club crews that puts groove in their shit; and I’m starving for groove. Issa Bagayogo, a Malian singer and n’goni player (6-string harp like a kora) who teamed up with a Parisian producer and makes a seamless hybrid of electronica and deep roots.

Amy D.- Sean MF’n Roberts- he’s an amazing DJ in a world where it would seem everyone with two fingers is a DJ. I’m also really feeling Maluca, Dam Funk, and Leif. Gotta also give my boys Freekbass and Tobotius a shout. Check out Junkyard Waltz, the album Freekbass just put out, it’s SICK!

5. What is something no one knows about you?

Amy D.- Koko Dozoans are 98% Cherry Jello.

P/1- This is a shocking untold Koko Dozo story: we’re not really from the planet Bazbador. We’re actually a couple of New York Jew humans (jewmans) who crave attention.

6. What are some of your pet peeves?

P/1- The American political system driven at the top by corporate money and the personal ambitions of politicians; and at the bottom by corporate media that delivers news and information as mass entertainment full of fuckin’ & fightin’.

Amy D.- People who lie, steal and are hypocrites generally do not get invited to dinner at Le Casa Amy. Unfocused people….nope, that’s a negatory. Oh, people who have no desire to learn and improve their intelligence levels piss me off.

7. If you could be anywhere right now do anything with anyone, tell us where, what and who it would be?

Amy D.- When my fantasy meter kicks in, I’m in London in a brand new flat, and my friends range from Jimmy Page to Christopher Bailey. We’d all be at Hoxton Bar And Grill talking fashion. Richard Mortimer of Ponystep would be there holding court. Pat McGrath would walk in, fix my makeup and then I’d get on stage with Jimmy and do every piece of the Led Zeppelin catalog I’ve ever wanted to do. An insane dance party would ensue after the performance of Larry Tee (now living there) on the 2’s and 4’s followed by Arthur Baker. This would happen every day.

P/1- In Brasil with my family and my toys.

8.Are we there yet?

Amy D.- Honey, we are NEVER there yet. That’s why the ride is so fun!!! The minute you’re there, the ride is over! Who wants that?
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Koko Dozo: Indie Music Band of the Week
POSTED BY MIKE WILSON ON SEPTEMBER - 28 - 2009
SPACE IS THE FACE-THE SCIENCE NONFICTION OF KOKO DOZO
KOKO DOZO are a Global Funktronica Duo from New York City by way of Outer Space!

Polarity/1, multi-instrumentalist/arranger/composer/producer, makes songs without borders and beats for curved dancefloor using REAL SPACE-AGE COMPUTERS! In his laboratory cave he grinds up shards of lost cultural artifacts, barks and growls of ghosts in machines and luminescent sarcastic spaghetti. Then he adds a pinch or two of the house special surreal spice.
P/1 has four cult classic CDs of both electro-folk songs and all-instrumental electronica on subTEKst Recordings including one by Audioplasm. He also composes for film and for performances by Battery Dance Company and Quorum Ballet of Lisbon.
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Out of this smoking brew flies Inter-Galactic Empress Amy Douglas who vaporizes the earwax of her victims with four and a half octaves worth of nuclear acid lung power. A punky songwriting funk-ette who sharpened her teeth on Earth at downtown NYC legendary music haunts, including the notorious Squeezebox House Band where she played keys and did a whole lot of singing, she has worked with numerous legends from George Clinton to the late great Illinois Jacquet. From jazz to funk to punk, there is nothing her tongue hasn’t torched.

This post-pop duo of illegal music aliens, on the lam from Earth’s corporate noise plantation, joined forces to re-splice the DNA of the Cosmic Hum. To accomplish this, they forge molecules from every genre of Earth tones into Global Funk-tronica, (known to Earthlings as “Post-Disco), to feed the ears of illegal music aliens everywhere – one of whom might be dancing around at this very moment in the room next to you! Bending genres and always in some state of experimentation, deep in the lab, their mission has proven successful thus far, as they’ve spread their funky sound to such Earth Venues as Don Hills, The Nacotheque Party, The Crooked Disco Party, Public Assembly, Nublu, The Annex, The Rebel Rebel Party, and more!

Since the release of their Global Funktronica debut album, entitled Illegal Space Aliens, and the success of their single “Boomchi” which was featured on the final season of Showtime’s “The L Word,“ Koko Dozo has been receiving stellar reviews all across the Internet.

Referring to the track I Know Who You Are, pleasedontstare.com said, "I promise you won’t be disappointed. This is beautiful music. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon." They went on to say that "they have some of the funkiest dance music I’ve heard in a while, as well as some extremely dope ballads and social commentary sprinkled in their as well."

The blog Dancefloor Mayhem has also given Koko Dozo high praise. Referring to The Shine, they said, "This is a really fun house track. Has a great old school vibe. Reminds me of Incognity, Masers at Work and a lot of the quality deep house from Strictly Rhythm circa ‘93-’95."

Mark Kirby, a writer for Musicdish e-Journal said, "One of the strengths of Illegal Space Aliens…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."

Gasper Oliviera, of GBH.tv says "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."

Making this kind of music in the studio is one thing, but live performance is a whole different art form. However, it’s clear that Koko Dozo knows how to put on a show. Referring to a video of a Koko Dozo performance, mefeedia.com says that, "Polarity/1 is rocking the guitar while Amy sings her heart out. The song has a bit of an otherworldly vibe at times, but it is without a doubt another great jam for the party at Tubway. One thing is clear from watching both videos – Koko Dozo have a definite stage presence and know how to work a crowd!"

So with that, prepare your eyes and ears for a whole new brand of SpaceFunk! Space…is THE FACE!
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Christopher888
July 15, 2009
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From New York to the World: Koko Dozo Spreads Global Funktronica
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Since the release of their global funktronica debut album, entitled Illegal Space Aliens, Koko Dozo has been receiving stellar reviews all across the Internet. Koko Dozo is a duo made up of multi-instrumentalist/arranger/composer/producer Polarity/1, and vocal diva Amy Douglas. Both members are formally trained musicians, and since meeting up in New York City in the mid-1990's, they have created a noticeable splash in the music scene.
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Referring to the track I Know Who You Are, pleasedontstare.com said, "I promise you won't be disappointed. This is beautiful music. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon." They went on to say that "they have some of the funkiest dance music I've heard in a while, as well as some extremely dope ballads and social commentary sprinkled in their as well."
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The blog Dancefloor Mayhem has also given Koko Dozo high praise. Referring to The Shine, they said, "This is a really fun house track. Has a great old school vibe. Reminds me of Incognity, Masers at Work and a lot of the quality deep house from Strictly Rhythm circa '93-'95."
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Mark Kirby, a writer for Musicdish e-Journal said, "One of the strengths of Illegal Space Aliens...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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Gasper Oliviera, of GBH.tv says "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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Making this kind of music in the studio is one thing, but live performance is a whole different art form. However, it's clear that Koko Dozo knows how to put on a show. Referring to a video of a Koko Dozo performance, mefeedia.com says that, "Polarity/1 is rocking the guitar while Amy sings her heart out. The song has a bit of an otherworldly vibe at times, but it is without a doubt another great jam for the party at Tubway. One thing is clear from watching both videos - Koko Dozo have a definite stage presence and know how to work a crowd!"
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Koko Dozo is a duo of legally alienated New Yorkers -- Polarity/1 and Amy Douglas -- who create a sound they call Global Funktronica: a unique blend of electronica, funk, club grooves, jazz and roots grooves from Brazil, Latin America and Africa. Their lyrics are hilarious, provocative, and powerful, sung in English, Spanish and Portuguese, supported by music that is truly otherworldly, rich, textural and extremely funky.
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http://www.kokodozo.com
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May 30, 2009
KoKo Dozo - I Know Who You Are & Shine

Posted by benhameen in Funk, R&B/Soul
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You know I’ve got love for this band right here and here is one of their latest creations, I Know Who You Are. Dope as hell as usual if you haven’t had a chance to get to know Koko Dozo go here and check out some more of their music. I promise you won’t be dissapointed. This is beautiful music. Perfect for a Saturday afternoon.

EDIT: I had to go ahead and throw another one of their jams up here. This song Shine is so vicious. We premiered the remix before and while that was fire I have to say that this original may be better. Big House Tune!!! Tell me you can sit and listen to this without dancing?
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Chic DJ/singer/songwriter Olivia Maxwell has put West Virginia on radioland's map with The O Show, which has a cult-like following of music maniacs and indie hipsters. Maxwell (the daughter of filmmaker Ron Maxwell) spins the old with the new (like NYC band KOKO DOZO) on 89.7 WSHC. "I am in my little box of zen," Maxwell tells me. "I dance, I rock and I swing knowing that I am not alone, but sharing these melodic beats with the town and all those listeners online. It's almost better than DJing in a nightclub because it feels more personal and so intense! There's nothing more powerful feeling than broadcasting over the global airwaves to all!"
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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009
Morsy and Koko Dozo - The Shine

This is a really fun house track. Has a great old school vibe. Reminds me of Incognito, Masters at Work and a lot of the quality deep house from Strictly Rhythm circa '93 - '95.
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Thursday, April 02, 2009
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MP3: Koko Dozo go 'GANGSTA'
c/o Carmine P. Filthy

GANGSTA! GANGSTA!
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Hey there,

So a few weeks back I sent this dope new track from Koko Dozo along with their recent collaboration with Morsy. 'Gangsta' somehow got lost in the fold and I'd love for you to give it another listen.

Coco Machete has just licensed it for an upcoming compilation and I feel like it's one of the best closing set tracks I've heard in a minute. 'Gangsta' is perfect for that 4 AM set to wind it down.
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These Disco Aliens have a lot more coming over the next year, so I suggest that you don't sleep on it now..
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Check out their newsletter 'SPACE ALIEN NATION' Here.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009
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Koko Dozo
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How about some space music? This interesting Koko Dozo group released an album last year with a classic vocal disco house sound. Brought back some fun memories for me.
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Koko Dozo - Gangsta
Koko Dozo - Spaceman
Koko Dozo and MORSY - The Shine
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Video > Wildscreen.tv :new Generation Quality Broadcast:: .watch .upload .share -videos > Koko Dozo - Spaceman (Tubway, NYC)
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From: wildscreen.tv :new generation quality broadcast:: .watch .upload .share -videos
Date: Mar 21, 2009
URL: http://mefeedia.com/entry/koko-dozo-spaceman-tubway-nyc/15659428
Description:
On January 24, 2009, post-pop duo Koko Dozo (Polarity/1 Amy Douglas) brought their unique blend of funk/disco/dance music to Tubway in New York City. www.kokodozo.com\n\nSpaceman is more of that familiar post-pop funk that Koko Dozo does so well. In this live performance, Polarity/1 is rocking the guitar while Amy sings her heart out. The song has a bit of an otherworldly vibe at times, but it is without a doubt another great jam for the party at Tubway. One thing is clear from watching both videos - Koko Dozo have a definite stage presence and know how to work a crowd!
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Link: http://www.wildscreen.tv/videos/3865342/
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Video > Wildscreen.tv :new Generation Quality Broadcast:: .watch .upload .share -videos > Koko Dozo - Boomchi (Tubway, NYC)
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From: wildscreen.tv :new generation quality broadcast:: .watch .upload .share -videos
Date: Mar 21, 2009
URL: http://mefeedia.com/entry/koko-dozo-boomchi-tubway-nyc/15659443
Description:
On January 24, 2009, post-pop duo Koko Dozo (Polarity/1 Amy Douglas) brought their unique blend of funk/disco/dance music to Tubway in New York City. www.kokodozo.com\n\nKoko Dozo's performance of Boomchi has a strong disco vibe and it is the perfect fit for the Tubway stage. Amy is on fire here with some really powerful singing (in Spanish, no less). A quick glimpse of the crowd shows that they are having a great time as well.
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Link: http://www.wildscreen.tv/videos/3865336/
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Filthy Beats &.. Treats

 wednesday, february 25, 2009

Morsy & Koko Dozo 'The Shine'

I love collaborations. I also love my friends here in NYC that continue to pound away at their art, despite the state of the country. Cosmic House act Koko Dozo got my boy Morsy to pop over to their studio and they ended up with a brokenbeat NYC House sound that proves the legacy of Masters At Work is still here, even in the indie scene. In fact, Morsy will tell you Louie Vega is his favorite DJ.

Koko Dozo, also recorded a new one called 'Gangsta' that I just freaking love. Great end of the night track. It's got that classic Chicago House sound that would easily fit in with a Trax Records set.
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Koko Dozo & DJ Morsy Present "The Shine"
(free Mp3 Dance Track)

Mar. 20th, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Polarity/1 and his Post-Pop project Koko Dozo (with vocalist Amy Douglas) had the honor of making music with one of NYC's greatest Funkmeisters, DJ Morsy from the Nanachil Crew. They just finished this little pearl called "The Shine." Co-produced by Polarity/1, the track features him on guitar, percussion, voice percussion & synth.
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"This track really makes you want to dance. The Chorus are made to give your speakers a sense of living and Amy turns them into a pumping machine. Polarity/1's guitar performs its funk screams while piano is jazzy all over the track. The song issues all the polyvalence of this talented duo from planet Koko Dozo (producer Polarity/1 and vocalist Amy Douglas). The beat is like a funky-house piece of stone endlessly burning through space with the bright tail of Amy's voice. Dj Morsy appears as a co-producer and composer and pilot of this aircraft that takes this sound to Earth. This collaboration began when Koko Dozo performed at Morsy's monthly NYC party. After that they went straight to the studio where they experienced 'The Shine' together."
-- Nicholas Guida
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KOKO DOZO are the cosmic cousins of Georgio Moroder and Parliment. Amy Douglas' vocals are deep and soulful yet punk and jazzy all at the same time. Douglas does not suffer from the too often used R&B tones of many a 'deep house' record.
The songs of Koko Dozo, produced by Polarity 1, are familiar in just the right ways. We feel it's best descirbed as Stomp-Funk Space-Disco for the sect who are tired of the same overused 'electro' tinged strut numbers and the slow shuffle of the 'bearded disco' that floods the mirror ball soundscape these days.

Koko Dozo have been recently featured by Paper Magazine, New York promotional tastemakers- GBH and in Februaray the world will be able to hear 'Boomchi' soundtrack the The L Word. They also performed at the one year anniversary of Brooklyn's Crooked Disco party this past Halloween and can be seen often throughout the entire Big Apple.

We suggest you give them a listen, especially if you need some alien boogaloo in your life to get through these cold months.

Here's three tracks for you to give a listen to and download via our friends at SoundCloud: 'Boomchi' and 'Face On The Dance Floor' are both featured on their debut album 'Illegal Space Aliens' available via subTEKst Records. 'Spaceman' is a new joint the group has whipped up.
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The Shine (Original Mix)
Morsy & Koko Dozo
DJ Mix Electronic Funk
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Polarity/1 and his Post-Pop project Koko Dozo (with vocalist Amy Douglas) had the honor of making music with one of NYC’s greatest Funkmeisters, DJ Morsy from the Nanachil Crew. They just finished this little pearl called “The Shine.” Co-produced by Polarity/1, the track features him on guitar, percussion, voice percussion & synth.
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Koko Dozo & Morsy - The Shine (Original Mix)
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You already know how I love this group and this latest single is more of that good stuff. I feel like it should be friday with this type of party music we posting right now but eff it we getting you ready for the weekend early with this stuff. Some feel good housey type stuff here with beautiful vocals courtesy of my girl Amy. Got damn that woman got a voice. Hit the jump grab the good stuff. Direct link cause we love you.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009
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Music In Spotlight: Bit Crushers, Mistress Barbara, Morsy & Koko Dozo, Final Fantasy VII
The following is a collaboration with DJ Morsy & Koko Dozo. It's a very vocal house ditty.

Morsy & Koko Dozo - The Shine
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Morsy & Koko Dozo - The Shine (Original Mix)
I’ve re discovered my love for house music over the last year or so, but we don’t really get sent a lot of it, so I’m delighted to post this track from Morsy & Koko Dozo, Morsy has been kind of killing it lately and this is further proof of that…
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Morsy & Koko Dozo - The Shine (Original Mix)
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MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009
Sonic Treat of the Day: Boomchi
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Photo courtesy of: Kokodozo

'Boomchi'
KOKODOZO

Feeling like you need a little pick me up? Do you have a case of the 'Mondays'? Missing the L Word already? Well, suck it up. Download this track (and three others) for a disco dance party in your ears. The song 'Boomchi' was featured on an episode of the L Word so it might sound a bit familiar. Seriously though, it's funky. You've been warned. Just click here for some crazy, cocaine inspired disco goodies.
You can also follow KOKODOZO on Twitter.
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Thursday, March 5, 2009
'THESHINE (320 KBPS)' Morsy & Koko Dozo Collide!
c/o Carmine P. Filthy & Low Life Inc.
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These two are no strangers to each other- Koko Dozo has played live at the monthly Crooked Disco party Morsy throws with partner Kestar.
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Well they all went into the studio and turned out a track together that pays a solid tribute to the House music New York is built on.

But not to be outdone...

Koko Dozo are also offering up a new original 'Gangsta' which reminds me of late night Chicago House during the era when Pierre and Frankie Knuckles were behind the decks at the infamous Warehouse.

House is back. Ya'll best get used to it.
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New House Music 2009 - Morsy & Koko Dozo - House Music
February 25, 2009 by DJ Shep
Filed under: News
Happy Hump day my sweet love. Here’s a goody from my inbox for today. Thanks for the heads up Carmine Filthy. I’m really liking this tune. It’s an NYC deep house, a sing while you dance and shake your hips kind of tune by Morsy and Koko Dozo who throw a monthly Crooked Disco party.
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TUES, FEBRUARY 24, 2009

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Morsy is Back With Friends...

...A little while back I posted a few Morsy tracks here and it got phenomenal reaction judging by the number of referrals I've seen. His Kinks rework is a killer and we all know it. Well, not being one to rest on his laurels, he's back with yet another tune.
..This time Morsy has teamed up with Cosmic House heads Koko Dozo to create a vocal house stormer that's an absolute a disco monster. It's got everything that you need: funky guitar loops, wailing vocals, beats that are so hypnotic that your ears won't know what to do.
..That being said, Morsy and Koko Dozo are no strangers to each other- Koko Dozo has played live at the monthly Crooked Disco party Morsy throws with partner Kestar. Well they all went into the studio and turned out "The Shine," together.
..If that weren't enough...KOKO DOZO are also offering up a new original "Gangsta"' that has a Warehouse feel to it with a bit of tribal drums and a whole lot of funk. It's the perfect late night tune to bring you back to the origins of house.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

New House Music 2009 - Morsy & Koko Dozo
Happy Hump day my sweet love.
Here's a goody from my inbox for today. Thanks for the heads up Carmine Filthy. I'm really liking this tune. t's an NYC deep house, a sing while you dance and shake your hips kind of tune by Morsy and Koko Dozo who throw a monthly Crooked Disco party.

Enjoy! now let me see u dance.
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MORSY & Koko Dozo -”The Shine”
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
New Original From Morsy and Koko Dozo
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Though DJ Morsy's always impressed with his remixes, I'm unfamiliar with his originals. Or rather, I was until today. His tracks are always clean and well-produced, so there was never any doubt that his remix prowess would cross over into the original game. And now I have confirmation that the dude does in fact rock even without a popular track leading the way.
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Here he teams up with Koko Dozo (a resident at Morsy's Crooked Disco party) to crank out a lovely cut that's 100% original - no samples whatsoever. Like so much of the music I've been enjoying these days, it's the percussion more so than anything that drives this smooth, subtle song. And it's all quite nice and a perfect addition to your sets, mix tapes, play lists, iPods, or what-have-you.you
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DJ MORSY + KOKO DOZO
So everything comes a full circle and House music in it’s strictest definition is apparently making a welcome comeback even though it never really went away, but you know what I mean. Here Nanachill and Crooked Disco’s DJ Morsy teams up with cosmic New York house heads Koko Dozo for an uplifting brokenbeat floor shaker: The Shine.
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Morsy & Koko Dozo - "The Shine"

Being new to this planet and everything, we figure it's gonna take Koko Dozo a while to figure out our customs. There's a lot to learn, after all, and plus there are certain things that most space aliens never pick up on. Take musical collaboration, first of all. Most earthlings won't tell you that they're often really awkward, that they're not supposed to sound really natural (a boomping, jazzy New York house beat) and really hot (the always-delightful Amy Douglas vibing with coke bottle percussion, piano chords, and bluesy guitar licks).

We're going to forgive the space aliens this one time, but only because the results are so good. Turn back your clocks with this one.
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Koko Dozo
Posted in DANCE MUSIC, Exclusives/Bonus Joints, Fresh to Death, Rock N Rolla, club bangers, hip hop with tags dont read tags go get the good music!! on February 20, 2009 by benhameen
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It’s been a while since some music came my way that I really have to put a big co-sign on so you know it’s lil special when I say this. LISTEN TO THIS GROUP. Based outta NY they have some of the funkiest dance music I’ve heard in a while as well as some extremely dope ballads and social commentary sprinkled in their as well.Plus mama’s voice is straight insane. Once again I don’t know who to compare them too but you need to hear this. I’ve included a link to their whole LP, Illegal Space Aliens. Stop reading these words and go listen. Face on the Dance Floor is a favorite but the whole thing is fierce. Don’t sleep.
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Koko Dozo - Gangsta
Posted In: new music . By Sheena Beaston
I've been pretty wack in updating you on all things Koko Dozo lately. And by lately, I mean, it's major suckage on my part.
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Here's a brief rundown of the goings-ons and goings-ups of the space-age funk duo.

- New song! Gangsta is just that. A bit of filth, a LOT of funk, and overall, a thugged out tasty time in your ears. (snag below)
- Their track, Boomchi, was used in the latest episode of The L Word. Never saw the show, cause I don't get those preemo channels, but thankfully, we've got a clip from the ep, and it's pretty sweet to hear the song used within!
- Koko Dozo is playing Sugarland on February 21. Oy, last time I was there, [ahem Dan], we had too much fun and my outfit looked like a nerdy pirate. Anyways, go check 'em out.
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11.02.2009
KOKO DOZO - Space Man
Posted By DiskoApostel unter 12:27:00 PM
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Koko Dozo are the cosmic cousins of Georgio Moroder and Parliment.
Amy Douglas' vocals are deep and soulful yet punk and jazzy all at the same time.
Douglas does not suffer from the too often used R&B tones of many a 'deep house' record
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INTRODUCING KOKO DOZO
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Last night among my stops waz Bungalow 8 for the chic lil jump off hosted by Malik So Chic. The party waz eclectic, stylish and a lot of fun. I'm some new Sh*t this year and I have challenged myself to get out of the studio and my comfort zone and meet NEW...EXCITING...ECLECTIC people. Well so far, so good this year!
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Last night one of the first people I met waz Amy Douglas and her husband (sorry bro I forgot your name). Amy handed me a CD and told me she fronted a band called KoKo Dozo. I politely took the CD, skimmed the cover and promised I'd listen to it and maybe even check her out when she performs live here in NYC. Now I have learned over the years not to get too excited when someone tell me they're a music artist cause I've spent some long days in studios with acts that...well...needed a little more time developing their craft. Imagine how I felt when I popped the CD in and Amy's big ass, sultry, greasy, sassy voice came booming thru my headphones and proceeded to ride the herky jerky, bass and drum heavy 4/4 back beat of their first ct on the CD called Face On The Dancefloor. I FRICKIN LOVE THAT SONG! It's part Dee-Light, part soulful 90's house music ala Funky Green Monsters and Martha Wash and part something wholly of their own creation. So after all that you KNOW I had to research them and get online and write up one ole profile post.
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Influences: A Tribe Called Quest, Afrika Bambaata, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Art Blakey, Basement Jaxx, Bela Bartok, Benny More, Betty Davis, Bill Evans, Bjork, Black Sabbath, Bob Marley, Bonde Do Role, Brazilian Girls, Brian Eno, Bugge Wesseltoft, Buju Banton, Burt Bachrach, Calle 13, Captain Beefheart, Celia Cruz, Charles Mingus, Chic, Claude Debussy, Da Lata, Daft Punk, David Bowie Dee-Lite, Depeche Mode, Devo, Doc Boggs, Donna Summer, Duke Ellington. What the hell kind of band has that list of people named as influences? A pretty darn funky, soulful, colorful, talented and creative one I'd say. The 3 song promo CD I received has me hooked. I can wait to interview them, hear the full CD and post a more in depth piece on them in the future.
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Upcoming Shows
Feb 21 2009 10:00P
SUGARLAND New York, New York
Feb 28 2009 10:00P

NACOTHEQUE @FONTANA’S New York, New York

Until then enjoy what I've got on them and get out there and learn more for yaself.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
KOKO DOZO - ILLEGAL COSMIC DISCO ALIENS from NYC!
c/o Carmine P. Filthy & Low Life Inc.
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Koko Dozo are the cosmic cousins of Georgio Moroder and Parliment. Amy Douglas' vocals are deep and soulful yet punk and jazzy all at the same time. Douglas does not suffer from the too often used R&B tones of many a 'deep house' record.
The songs of Koko Dozo, produced by Polarity 1, are familiar in just the right ways. We feel it's best descirbed as Stomp-Funk Space-Disco for the sect who are tired of the same overused 'electro' tinged strut numbers and the slow shuffle of the 'bearded disco' that floods the mirror ball soundscape these days.
Koko Dozo have been recently featured by Paper Magazine, New York promotional tastemakers- GBH and in Februaray the world will be able to hear 'Boomchi' soundtrack the The L Word. They also performed at the one year anniversary of Brooklyn's Crooked Disco party this past Halloween and can be seen often throughout the entire Big Apple.
We suggest you give them a listen, especially if you need some alien boogaloo in your life to get through these cold months.
Here's three tracks for you to give a listen to and download via our friends at SoundCloud: 'Boomchi' and 'Face On The Dance Floor' are both featured on their debut album 'Illegal Space Aliens' available via subTEKst Records. 'Spaceman' is a new joint the group has whipped up.
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jan 21, 09 ...Live: Koko Dozo bring the Illegal Space Aliens out for b-day show
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That's right you guys. Interplanetary dance/funk/booty duo Koko Dozo are playing a special show this Saturday at Mr. Black here in New York City, breaking out the jams and hoping to get some "Face On The Dancefloor" as belter Amy Douglas will celebrate another year on this, the third planet from the sun. The group terrorizes the usual definition of "disco" with incessant, out-of-this-world beats and Amy's too-sophisticated-for-the-uneducated four octaves voice. This show is seriously recommended for anyone ready to sweat to poppy tunes and have their face muscles hurting on Sunday morning from too much smiling.
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Big Things

Speaking of new artists my friends over at Low Life Inc. have a dropped a very funky number on me. It's from NYC based duo Koko Dozo and it's guaranteed to get any party started. I really want to see these kids live. Enjoy.

Koko Dozo - Face On The Dancefloor
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Koko Dozo - Face On The Dancefloor
Holy poop, B-52’s reincarnated. Nevermind that they’re still around. This thing I’m used to hear in early 90’s to some intro to some crazy tv-show. How do you start making this kind of music? Seriously! Funk, boogie, soul, electro, space-thingy.I’m impressed. And I want to put on a funny hat and pretend I’m E.T. or something.You can really hear that Koko Dozo are insane. In a good way.
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December 15, 2008
Koko Dozo - "Spaceman"
If you read Paper Magazine, or watch The L Word, you might have noticed that Koko Dozo is finally getting some notice around here. We're sure our review had plenty to do with it, but this might also have something to do with it. "Spaceman" is a bumping, effects-filled immigrants' anthem that Amy Douglas goes crazy over. And by crazy, we mean cuh-huh-huh-huh-raaaaaaaayyyayayayaay-ZAYYYYYYYYUuuuuhhh.
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The latest ear candy on my iTunes is Koko Dozo, a "post-disco" duo (Amy Douglas and Polarity/1), whose shake-your-ass, funky single "Boomchi" will be on The L Word this February. I can't stop listening to Koko Dozo's tunes, like "Face On The Dancefloor" and "Spaceman." Thankfully, the duo is just as tripped out as their music. When I asked where their name came from, this is what they told me: "Koko Dozo is the name of our planet where we come from. If you go to www.kokodozo.com you’ll see a link for Space Alien Nation where you can read the news from our wild and funky planet. Polarity 1 and I are on the lam from the Powers that Be, and have decided to bring our brand of Post-Disco and Spacefunk to Earth." Beam me up Koko Dozo!
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August 6, 2008

Sis and I getting down to Boomchi!

This one is for my space sister, Amy Douglas!
You go girl!
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Music Industry News Network
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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
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Warning: overtly cheesy/standard space themed title for a post.
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DEAL! Cause I'm about to lay some cochlear pleasures upon you that will rock you to the core.
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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.
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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?
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They bring the funky party to you!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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"Don't mind if I do. .Koko Dozo's Illegal Space Aliens (released on subTEKst Records) can be ear-imbibed here.
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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...)
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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
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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..
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...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

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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