Formed by members of the Leeds Conservatoire, the Leeds quartet Koyo (not to be confused with the melodic hardcore band of the same name) has been making a name for themselves with their dynamic and eccentric rock stylings, earning them spots opening the BBC Introducing Stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals and playing Rockaway Beach, Live at Leeds, and Download Festival.
While their self-titled debut was a wild ride of imagination and creativity, they tried to reign themselves in more for their sophomore album You Said It. During the pandemic, the band spent their time working on their third album, Onism, which they consider their favorite project to date.
Today, the band are debuting the first two singles from Onism. First up is the album’s opening track, “La Cucaracha,” a frenetic and angular rock track with a riff that literally won’t quit. “The cockroach. The riff that never ends. Our anthem for determination, persistence, longevity, endurance, being a survivor!” explain Koyo about the song.
Check out the track below.
Next up is “Mechanical Bull,” which boasts a more funky bass line and crunchy riffs to create a song that’s as vital and immediate as it is fun. “It’s hard enough keeping your head above water in this life and there’s value in simply staying afloat,” explain the band about this track. “On the one hand you don’t wanna let go of that spark, that boyhood dream, and become another cog in the machine, but on the other hand, if you’re not careful, you can fall into the trap of putting all your value in the rockstar dream. If you’re simply riding the mechanical bull, staying alive and keeping your ducks in a row, then hats off to you for that. Not all of us wanna be the Instagram influencer!”
Check out the track below.
Onism is due out this fall, so keep an eye out for it. Follow Koyo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Koyo
