🔎 Our verdict: 7.5 → “Solid Cut”
🎧 Standouts: Time and Time, Da Du Dah
On their sophomore release Tuff Times Never Last, British septet Kokoroko conjure a sonic landscape filled with genres (jazz, highlife, psychedelic funk, alternative R&B, and Afrobeat) that fuse into a breezy, bass-laced experience. While slightly more spirited than previous projects, the album retains a rhythmically mellow centre, perfect for late-night drives and summer evenings among friends.
Light and sultry vocals allow the horns, percussion, and guitars to lead in storytelling. Artist features—from Azekel, Demae, and LULU. —inject fresh textures, expanding Kokoroko’s lush soundscape while staying true to their understated aesthetic.
Instrumental storytelling is also powerful enough to make lyrics seem optional. But when the pen takes centre stage, it shines. “Time and Time,” featuring Demae and produced by Miles James, is a standout moment. Here, the songwriting confidently holds its own, gracefully dancing beside rich instrumentation rather than being swallowed by it. Introspective yet kinetic, it’s one of the album’s most lyrically resonant offerings.
And with singles “Sweetie” and “Just Can’t Wait,” the band continues to prove that Afrobeat belongs to today’s generation as much as yesterday’s. Tracks such as album opener “Never Lost” affirm Kokoroko’s place in the new wave of genre-defying Afropop.
This is not just an album; it’s required listening for anyone drawn to classic Afrobeat and musical fusion.