Best New Music: Kokoroko “Just Can’t Wait”

Ahead of their upcoming album, Tuff Times Never Last, out July 11 via Brownswood Recordings, jazz collective Kokoroko is building up to the release with the aptly titled “Just Can’t Wait.” The London-based band will also be coming to LA as part of their album tour on Aug. 13 at The Regent Theater.

Along with their previous two singles, “Just Can’t Wait” is a concoction of various influences, ranging from 80s R&B to African instrumentation, in what is shaping up to be an expansive sophomore follow-up to Could We Be More. But perhaps more importantly, the message at the core of the song remains in focus throughout its runtime.

“It’s a song with a congregational feeling for the steppers,” said co-bandleader Sheila Maurice-Grey. “One that people can listen to on a Saturday or Sunday morning and feel uplifted.”

The track, running over six minutes, takes listeners on a smooth strut through Sade-like grooves and soulful vocals reminiscent of the ‘70s and ‘80s. The production, which features horn melodies that Maurice-Grey said were taken from “Funkin’” by Tom Browne, further cements the group’s influences, particularly during jazz sections that allow the band members to sing through their trombone, keys, and guitar among a myriad of instruments.

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Where Could We Be More was Kokoroko staking their claim in jazz music after a string of successful singles, “Just Can’t Wait” and the rest of Tuff Times Never Last is the answer to their initial question, with the band taking bigger, bolder swings.

See Kokoroko in LA at The Regent Theater on Aug. 13.

Visit Kokoroko on Instagram and their website to stay updated on new releases and tour dates.

Listen to “Just Can’t Wait” the new single from Kokoroko.