Today, Kodo shares "Made Of The Heat" featuring vōx, the second single off their upcoming collaborative LP Kodo Together, out July 9th.
Discussing "Made Of The Heat", vōx says "Kodo’s energy was my inspiration for writing “Made of the Heat”. I wanted to make a song that made me feel electric and alive in my body, so I channeled the power of their drumming."
What was the process like in creating with Kodo on 'Made Of The Heat'? How was your sound style/voice intertwined?
vōx: "The process was seamless. I think in any collaboration you have to find some common ground to meet on. I watched some of Kodo’s live performance videos before we started working on the song, so I knew I wanted to bring something cinematic and bold to meet their energy. Alexander Vincent produced the track, and every time we got together over video call to listen to new sounds Kodo sent, we were delighted. The song came together really quickly!"
The traditional Japanese drumming collective Kodo’s vibrant living art-form explores limitless rhythmic possibilities. Their thunderous performances transcend both language and cultural boundaries, connecting people all over the globe with their heartbeat: the primal source of all rhythm. For their latest project, Kodo have channelled the uniting and multicultural spirit of the upcoming Olympic Games by joining forces with an array of influential international artists from Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, India, U.S.A., South Africa, U.K. and more, for a groundbreaking collaborative project, ‘Kodo Together’ which will be released on July 9th. Audiences may have their own preconceptions of Kodo’s visceral, high intensity performances. Yet the ‘Kodo Together’ project demonstrates the boundless versatility of their sound. It’s an engaging, high impact approach grounded within their traditional roots. Those time-honoured concepts are now given a modernist spin with the help of some of music’s most forward-thinking creatives. Kodo’s Yuta Sumiyoshi says: “Pushing the musical capabilities of taiko is not just a mission for Kodo, but also something I live by. Through these collaborations with talented artists from around the world, we hope to showcase the musical potential and possibilities of the taiko. ‘Kodo Together’ offers surprises at every turn. Ninja Tune’s Elkka’s individuality shines through with ‘Pawā’ as its maximalist production uses ethereal vocals as the core motif for its off-kilter house rhythms. Similarly inventive is Kevin Saunderson and Justin Cholewski’s offering, ‘Before The Storm’, in which Kodo’s bombastic intensity amplifies the power of the track’s techno drops and breakdowns. On ‘Right Here’, Icelandic songwriter Emiliana Torrini and Belgian ensemble The Colorist Orchestra layer Kodo’s gently thudding drums with atmospheric strings and tender vocals. Meanwhile, Jamaican music collective Equiknoxx’s ‘Miami Vice Chancellor and A Dam In His Sandler’ is a typically forward-thinking, stripped back affair, while Italian experimentalist Andrea Belfi’s, ‘In The Horse Stable of the Sphinx’ the Kodo drums provide more of a groove than an attack, providing a playful undercurrent for the surging acoustic instrumentation. The release of ‘Kodo Together’ represents a landmark moment in the history of the Japanese collective, whose roots lay in Sado, an island adjacent to Niigata on the country’s west coast. Having debuted in 1981, Kodo has performed over 6500 times across five continents, with memorable highlights including a set at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert and contributing to Vangelis’ official anthem for the 2002 World Cup. Kodo currently includes 34 performers, whose ages range from young adulthood to septuagenarians. New members must complete a two-year apprenticeship at Kodo’s centre on Sado, where they learn taiko, dance, song, bamboo flute, and other traditional arts in the rich natural and cultural surroundings. Once they’re fully integrated into the Kodo ensemble, they join performances focused on taiko drumming alongside other traditional Japanese instruments such as fue (a bamboo flute), shamisen (a three-stringed banjo), koto (a zither), and narimono (metal percussion). ‘Kodo Together’ will be available to stream on July 9th. More tracks forming Part 2 will be revealed in the coming weeks. The ‘Kodo Together’ tracklist is: - Skream - Shinogi
- Elkka - Pawā
- Andrea Belfi - In The Horse Stable Of The Sphinx
- Equiknoxx - Miami Vice Chancellor and A Dam In His Sandler
- vōx - Made Of The Heat
- Tlale Makhene - Ye Gamo
- Frank Zummo - Zeus & Poseidon
- Rufus Wainwright - Untitled
- The Colorist Orchestra & Emiliana Torrini - Right Here
- Kevin Saunderson & Justin Chowleski - Before The Storm
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