Feel-good riffs and a dancy rhythm section constitute the majority of Kuroma’s first full-band record, ‘Kuromarama,’ out April 7 on Votiv Music. The Athens/Brooklyn based band was conceptualized in 2008 by MGMT’s current guitarist Hank Sullivant, but was only recently fully realized, having signed on James Richardson and Will Berman (also of MGMT), and Simon O’Connor of Amazing Baby as permanent members. The result is an almost reggae-infused funk-rock that is danceable, yet soulful. Their first single, “Love is on the Way,” approaches the retro minimalistic structure of 80’s pop (with almost an islander feel thrown in), but it breathes fresh life into any preconceptions with a cool layering of keys, steadily novel percussion, and vocal brilliance that oscillates between hearty substantiality and far-out falsetto. Check out also the video for single 20+Centuries here. – JP Basileo
