Kokoroko are picking up where they left off.
Formed in 2014, the London collective built a formidable name in the UK and Europe with their fluent and energetic melding of jazz and African funk genres from Nigerian Afrobeat to Ghanaian Highlife.
After slaying festival audiences across the continent, the group released an eponymous 2019 EP that amassed more than 68 million streams on major music platforms.
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The momentum only increased the anticipation surrounding debut album Could We Be More and, fortunately, for the most part, the group fulfilled its promise.
Led by trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey, the octet conjures up a vibrant 15-song set that harvests various influences from London to Lagos.
A sinewy Afrobeat groove carries Adwa, a strident piece punctured by the occasional thrilling horn explosion from saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi.
Tojo is a lovely marriage of past and future. The latter is supplied by Yohan Kebede's psychedelic keyboard riffs while the horn section, led by Maurice-Grey, delivers the kind of vintage arrangement recalling Fela Kuti.
Age of Ascent lives up to its esoteric title and finds the group slowing things down for a track cinematic in scope, while Eva Inu is a showcase for the group's lethal rhythm section of bassist Duane Atherley and drummer Ayo Salawu.
While largely instrumental, Could We Be More has a few vocal tracks.
The standout, Those Good Times, features a silky vocal by Maurice-Grey that takes the music towards neo-soul territory and provides an intriguing prospect on what direction Kokoroko can go next.
The smooth track also reveals the slight and niggling weakness running throughout Could We Be More, in that it can feel overproduced and doesn’t fully summon the energy of their pulsating live show.
This is best exemplified in War Dance, which despite its intention to be a rhythmic and sweaty number, seems too sanitised and polished to elicit the kind of primal dancing response seen when people see Kokoroko live.
That said, these are relatively minor gripes in what is a supremely assured debut album.
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
Scoreline
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (53')
Atletico Madrid 1
Griezmann (57')
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
More on animal trafficking
Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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