KOBO TOWN

“Kobo Town continues to redefine calypso, pushing the boundaries of the Caribbean music” (Macleod Gazette, 2022). Kobo Town takes its name from the historic neighborhood in Port-of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago’s capital, where calypso began to emerge in the 19th century as a blend of African rhythms with European influences. Deeply rooted in the carnivalesque folklore of traditional calypso, the music of this group, formed in 2005 and nominated for Junos and Polaris awards, is nonetheless ultramodern: dark and joyful, poetic and danceable, with incisive lyrics modulated by ska, dancehall, dub, zouk and hip-hop rhythms and backed by a powerful brass section, all of which can be heard on Kobo Town’s latest album, Carnival of the Ghosts.